The Army University's School for Command Preparation, one of three schools within the Command and General Staff College, has been awarded the Army Superior Unit Award for planning and executing a course redesign that better leverages the school to help the Chief of Staff of the Army integrate Mission Command and lead change in the Army. Gen. David Perkins, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, presented the award at the Lewis and Clark Center Dec. 1.
The school provides students the opportunity to engage a majority of the Army's senior leadership with over 30 senior leader and subject matter expert engagements over a two-week period. Coupled with the senior leader engagements, student learning in the art of command and leadership is facilitated in seminars by one of the Army's most experienced faculties made up of former brigade and battalion commanders and command sergeants major. Shortly after assuming command of the Combined Arms Center then Lt. Gen. Perkins asked the School for Command Preparation to conduct a self-examination to determine how it could better help the Army Chief of Staff lead change in particular areas within the Army.
That self-examination led to a redesign that included significant expansion and redesign of the Phase 1 curriculum, extending the course from one to two weeks, and adding several seminar lessons. Additionally the redesign increased the number of senior leader and SME engagements and integrating adult learning models based within doctrine and facilitated within seminars focused on mission command and the art of command.
Shortly after the redesign, the school was asked to integrate U.S. Army Reserve command teams over a 2-year period additionally expanding the size of the school. In fiscal year 2016, the school educated close to 4,000 students at Fort Leavenworth in Phase I and Phase II courses. It is estimated the school's student population represents the top 3-4% of Army officers.
With a staff and faculty of about 35 the School for Command Preparation interacts with the current senior leadership of the Army and the future leadership of the Army. The school's impact in helping future commanders and command sergeants major prepare for their leadership roles and enabling the Army to lead change through command team education is truly special.
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