SAMS graduates 126

“I called you SAMS leaders for a reason” Maj. Gen. Wayne Grigsby told the graduates of The U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies. The school graduated 126 officers, including 15 international officers from 11 countries, and six federal civilian employees representing four federal agencies at the Lewis and Clark Center May 21.

“SAMS is the Army’s leadership factory,” said Grigsby who is a 1996 graduate of the school and was the director of the school from 2010 to 2011. Grigsby has been named to take command of the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kan., later this summer. Grigsby recently completed an assignment as the Commanding General Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.

Grigsby reminded the graduates that when they arrive at their new assignments most of them will be leaders assigned to a staff. They will need to learn to lead from behind, beside and below, he said. “You will have to lead your peers and lead generals and you’ll have to figure out how to do that,” he said.

He reminded the graduates the “to be a great leader you must be a good person first.” And charged them with following the SAMS mantra of remaining in the background, being more than you seem and accomplishing much.

Most of the graduates completed the Advanced Military Studies Program. This 10-month long course is a graduate-level program to develop innovative and adaptive leaders who excel at operational art and are willing to experiment and accept risk. Program graduates apply critical and creative thinking to solve complex problems, demonstrate mastery of joint and Army doctrine, and anticipate the future operational environment. They synthesize the elements of U.S. national power in joint, interagency, intergovernmental and multinational operations, and demonstrate effective communications.

Sixteen graduates completed the Advanced Strategic Leader Studies Program. This Senior Service College, equivalent to the Army War College, program focuses on planning and executing the full spectrum of unified land operations with government and nongovernmental agencies and international partners. Its students comprise senior lieutenant colonels, colonels, and their civilian equivalents. Military class members have typically commanded a battalion-sized unit in the armed services.

All graduates receive the Master of Military Art and Science Degree. The MMAS is awarded by the Command and General Staff College based on students successfully completing the School of Advanced Military Studies curriculum, passing an oral comprehensive exam, and successfully completing an extensive monograph based on original research. Completed monographs are published electronically by the Combined Arms Research Library. CGSC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission to award the master’s degree.

Individual award recipients:
Iron Planner – Maj. Al LeMaire, U.S. Army (top physical fitness award)
Colonel Arthur D. Simons Center Interagency Writing Award – Ms. Heather C. Smith-Taylor, U.S. Agency for International Development
ASLSP Best Monograph – Lt. Col. Sean C. Williams, U.S. Army
AMSP Best Monograph – Lt. Col. Matthew Gaetke, U.S. Air Force
Colonel Tom Felts Leadership Award – Maj. Joshua Glonek, U.S. Army

The CGSC Foundation provides support for all the awards presented. The Foundation’s Simons Center supports the Interagency Writing Award.