FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kansas – The current nature of warfare is at historic levels of complexity and volatility.
The School of Advanced Military Studies’ latest graduating class, celebrated May 21, 2026, in a ceremony on Fort Leavenworth, spent 10 months preparing to be the strategic response to the military’s call for answers to the historic change of the national security picture.
Speed and unpredictability are foundational focuses of SAMS’ three programs Col. Dwight Domengeaux Jr., director, SAMS said, calling each a “warrior scholar prepared to meet the highest priority of the nation and allies.”
“These graduates are ready now. They'll immediately help commanders in the operational force to fight and win in a complex environment. In fact, several members of the 2026 class departed early, and are already on their way to operational deployments, where commanders will expect them to perform on day one, and the soldiers on the line are depending on their confidence and leadership,” he explained.
A total of 129 master’s and doctorate degrees were conferred to graduates of the Advanced Military Studies Program, the Advanced Strategic Leadership Studies Program, and the Advanced Strategic Planning and Policy Program.
SAMS curriculum is practicum-driven, and experience focused to include nearly a dozen hands-on exercises, 800 contact hours, a 10,000-word monograph, and direct planning support to division and corps of Ukraine, U.S. Army Combined Arms Command and other combatant commands.
Guest speaker Maj. Gen. Trevor Bredenkamp, President and Commanding General, Army University, explained SAMS is a program with no joint-force equivalent, emphasizing the graduates’ educational significance to national security.
This level of strategic, operational thinking becomes a “habit of mind”, Bredenkamp said, that will be tested from day one.
“Be Ready. Be confident. SAMS has prepared you well. Senior leaders fight to receive SAM graduates. That is why they put you in the most challenging positions,” he said.
Bredenkamp’s wife is a SAMS graduate, which provided him a personal experience with senior leader expectations of SAMS planners.
To combat the potential pressures of their next assignments, Bredenkamp gave graduates three pieces of guidance; maintain an appropriate perspective, bring solutions, speak up.
He explained that perspective should remain beyond the tactical issue plaguing a command.
While more than capable of solving that level of problem, the investment in their careers lives beyond the obvious, he said.
“Your commander did not bring you in to solve the tactical problem. The reason they brought you onto the team is the second order problem that the tactical problem was hiding,” Bredenkamp said.
Solutions created by SAMS graduates may be imperfect, but are innate to their critical and creative thinking skills the joint force must capitalize on, Bredenkamp explained.
“You were trained to do something most staff officers cannot do, which is hold a complex problem in your head long enough to design a way through it,” he said.
Finally, the inaugural president of Army University challenged the graduates to communicate, specifically risk, with confidence.
“SAMs has prepared you to be the person to speak up when others are silent. You don't have to speak loudly or theatrically. Just speak clearly. Truthfully, and with conviction, because that is what your commander deserves, and they will appreciate you. Maybe not the first time, but eventually,” he said.
“You are all part of a noble profession, and as SAMS graduates will be held to a higher standard where much is expected. I know you are up to the task,” Bredenkamp concluded.
This year’s ceremony also recognized the founder of SAMS, retired Brig. Gen. Huba Wass de Czege, who died November 25, 2025.
In addition, the following students were presented awards for their performance during their time at SAMS.
Iron Leader Award: Maj. Kory Osigian, U.S. Army
Presented to the student with the highest physical fitness as assessed by the highest overall score on the Army Fitness Test.
Lt. Col. Michael “Scott” Flurry Award: Lt. Col. Tyler Folan, U.S. Marine Corps
Presented to the top Joint Service graduate who best exemplifies the full spectrum of attributes embodied by distinguished former AMSP graduate—the late Marine Lieutenant Colonel Michael “Scott” Flurry—and his legacy of academic excellence, physical fitness, and superior leadership.
Maj. Gen. Edwin Harding Award: Dr. Barry Stentiford and Maj. Ronald Apostle
Presented to one faculty member and one student for their outstanding contribution to professional military journals as assessed by the school leadership.
Col. Arthur D. Simons Center for the Study of Interagency Cooperation Award: Lt. Col. Jacob Griego
Presented to the author of the best monograph on an interagency topic
Best Class Monograph: Col. Joerg Vitoschek, Federal Republic of Germany
Presented to the student in both ASLSP and AMSP whose research paper is judged to be the best in the class
Best AMSP Monograph: Maj. Kaleb Castillo
Presented to the student with the best monograph from AMSP
Col. Thomas Felts Leadership Award: Maj. Karlos Esteban, U.S. Army
Presented to the student who best exemplifies all the desired attributes of an Advanced Military Studies Program graduate. Named in honor of Col. Thomas Felts, who graduated from AMSP in 1998 and was a student in the SAMS senior service program in 2005.He was killed in action in Iraq in 2006 while serving as an advisor to the Iraqi Army.
Watch the graduation ceremony on the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College’s YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/live/3tCcBE1W_kI?si=zuBN2GAhDIiw9LKY
Additional photos from the event can be viewed on CGSC’s Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/usacgsc/albums/
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