DFL cadets brief Army South’s DCGI Alcides on Projects Day

By CourtesyMay 6, 2020

During this year’s Projects Day, the Department of Foreign Languages at the U.S. Military Academy virtually hosted U.S. Army South’s Deputy Commanding General—Interoperability GdB Alcides V. Faria, Jr. The Spanish group, Class of 2020 Cadets Alex Bayer, Jack Provost and Michael King, briefed Alcides on China’s influence in Argentina and Chile.
During this year’s Projects Day, the Department of Foreign Languages at the U.S. Military Academy virtually hosted U.S. Army South’s Deputy Commanding General—Interoperability GdB Alcides V. Faria, Jr. The Spanish group, Class of 2020 Cadets Alex Bayer, Jack Provost and Michael King, briefed Alcides on China’s influence in Argentina and Chile. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

By Maj. George Gurrola and Capt. John Schield

Department of Foreign Languages and U.S. Army South

During this year’s Projects Day, the Department of Foreign Languages at the U.S. Military Academy virtually hosted U.S. Army South’s Deputy Commanding General—Interoperability GdB Alcides V. Faria Jr.

The Spanish group, Class of 2020 Cadets Alex Bayer, Jack Provost and Michael King, briefed Alcides on China’s influence in Argentina and Chile. The Portuguese group, Class of 2020 Cadets Brandon Roseborough, Wonha Kim and Christian Halcomb, discussed China’s influence in Brazil. Both briefs were conducted in Spanish and Portuguese, respectively, demonstrating the cadets’ ability to communicate and analyze complex problems in support of an Army service component.

Alcides’ lecture titled, “Brazil Army Perspective of South American Security Concerns,” provided cadets a unique glimpse into South American security challenges and how the Brazilian army tackles these issues.

“This is a very good opportunity to show a different perspective from a partner… to make people think a different way,” Alcides said of the opportunity to attend Projects Day and give a guest lecture.

Throughout this section of Projects Day, more than 200 participants from across U.S. South Command, U.S. Army South, West Point, the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation and many other education institutions participated.

As part of the DFL capstone course, the cadet groups collaborated with officers and analysts from U.S. Army South. The presentation to the DCGI was a culmination of months of research and interviews. In January, both cadet groups traveled to Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio to visit with key stakeholders at U.S. Army South Headquarters.

Cadets were able to interact and discuss their research with officers from the Security Cooperation Division including partner nation liaison officers from Chile, Argentina, Peru, Brazil and more. Maj. Ruben Ramos, U.S. Army South’s Chile and Argentina desk officer, was instrumental in driving the collaboration between both organizations.

The cadets were able to broaden their perspective on how the U.S. Army South partners with other countries and embodies the motto, “Defense and Fraternity.”

“It is important, as a senior officer, to educate our future leaders by expanding their horizons of thought and making them deconstruct challenges through the lenses of other cultures,” Alcides said.