Two U.S. Army students were recognized by the president of Estonia, Alar Karis, during their graduation of Baltic Defence College’s (BALTDEFCOL) Joint Command and General Staff Course (JCGSC) June 20, 2024 in Tartu, Estonia.
They were among 99 international students recognized during the joint graduation of the JCGSC, the Higher Command Studies Course (HCSC) and the Civil Servants Course.
“For 25 years, the college has stood steadfast here in Tartu, the academic capital of Estonia. In these 25 years, the Baltic Defence College has established itself as a small but sharp spearhead promoting regional security,” said Karis during the graduation.
Established in 1999, BALTDEFCOL is a NATO-accredited professional military education institution that serves as Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia’s equivalent to the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army War College.
Located 50 kilometers from the Russian border, the college educates military and security-related civilians of allies and partners, while promoting international cooperation and contributing to research in security and defense policy.
“All nations – big or small – have something to learn from each other,” said Karis. “Cooperation and alliances are what we in the free world do best.”
The United States has provided faculty and students to the college since it was established. This support has consisted of two U.S. Army instructors provided by U.S. Army Security Assistance Command (SATMO) for the college’s Joint Command and General Staff Course and, on average, two students.
Beginning next academic year, five U.S. military students will attend the JCGSC and one Senior Service College Fellow sponsored by the U.S. Army War College will attend the HCSC. This expansion of bilateral cooperation signals a distinct increase in the commitment of the U.S. Army to the Republic of Estonia.
“Our genuine multinational and cooperative spirit, mirroring that of NATO itself is at the heart of our success,” said BALTDEFCOL Commandant Brig. Gen. Alvydas Šiuparis of Lithuania. “Our college has become a diverse and enriching workplace for individuals from across the alliance, fostering an environment of mutual understanding and collaboration.”
SATMO is a subordinate organization of the U.S. Army Security Assistance Command (USASAC) and deploys U.S.-based teams to execute security assistance missions outside the continental United States. SATMO has successfully deployed training and advisory teams to every geographic combatant command, hence the motto "Training the World, One Soldier at a Time." Their mission is vital to achieving U.S. national security objectives and stability in key locations throughout the world.
USASAC oversees foreign military sales cases with more than 150 countries and agencies at a total value exceeding $250 billion.
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