FORT BENNING, Ga., (June 10, 2015) -- The Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation's Command and General Staff Officer Course class of 2015 graduated May 27 and epitomizes the essence of diversity.
The 65 students in the course represented 13 nations: Belize, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and the United States.
Thirty-seven of the U.S. students come from the four military branches; one student is a U.S. Marshal. The international contingent includes military and law enforcement leaders. Of the five women in the class, three are U.S. Army, one is from Costa Rica and the other from Panama.
Lt. Gen. Kenneth E. Tovo, the military deputy commander of U.S. Southern Command, Miami, Florida, addressed the graduates, sharing his own similar experiences and advising them they are now prepared to meet the challenges of senior staff positions and command of units.
"Hemispheric success is a cooperative effort that begins here at WHINSEC," Tovo said.
Colombian National Police Maj. Alexander Quitian was named the International Distinguished Graduate; U.S. Army Maj. James A. Clark received the Matthew B. Ridgway Leadership Award, and then was named the Distinguished U.S. Graduate.
U.S. Army Maj. Assad A. Raza earned recognition for exceptional ability to work with his group with the Dwight D. Eisenhower Team Player prize.
Twelve graduates achieved master's degrees in addition to their CGSOC diplomas. Three Army majors completed requirements for the Master of Military Art and Science degree, and nine students received diplomas for master's degrees earned at Troy University during the academic year.
CGSOC is the Army's middle-management course, taught in its entirety in Spanish at WHINSEC. The Institute course mirrors the course taught at the Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
The graduation culminates a year of study designed to educate intermediate-level Army, sister-service, and partner-nation officers to be prepared to operate in full-spectrum Army, joint, interagency, and multinational environments as field-grade commanders and staff officers.
U.S. military students attending the course receive MEL-4 and Joint Military Professional Education phase 1 designation as they graduate.
Dr. W. Chris King, Dean of Academics at the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, conferred the MMAS diplomas during the ceremony, and Dr. John D. Van Doorn of Troy University-Columbus and Fort Benning presented Troy University's degrees.
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