Jim, An infinitely better assessment that I could ever write. Thank you for the detail and thoughtful reasons. Yes, some utterly brilliant people grace our seminars but each individual contributes to the national security thinking worldwide—by design.
Couldn't agree more! I graduated from NWC in 2009 and in looking back at how it impacted the latter part of my career I can tell you it made a tremendous, positive difference. Many in the Air Force will tell you that attending Air War College is more useful as it connects officer students / peers who will continue to work closely together as they progress in their Air Force careers. But NWC made lasting various "other government agencies" and international connections that were invaluable to me in my career path. Those connections opened doors to dialog and trust-relationships using the 10 - 12 month NWC experience as the bedrock regardless of which year individuals attended.
On a more personal note.... upon attending my first seminar session, surrounded by some of the smartest, most impressive classmates I could imagine... I quickly determined that: 1) I hadn't read enough in my career and 2) I'd read mostly the wrong stuff. I had focused my reading on military history and leadership but had neglected incredibly important topics like economics, international relations, critical thinking, strategic planning and similar topics. NWC opened my eyes to those topics and more and also honed my skills in listening before speaking (critical). I used me as an example as I emphasized that reality in my talks with hundreds of Air Force ROTC cadets as they started their careers.
It also emphasized to me the importance of considering others' viewpoints on history vs. how we Americans see it. That point was a front-and-center lesson for me as I got to know one of my classmates who was a fighter pilot in the Argentine Air Force. His perspective on the Falkland Islands war was vastly different from how the Brits and Americans saw it.
The staff and faculty the year I attended were amazing. It's where I met you (Dr. Watson) and benefited greatly from your mentorship w/ respect to my writing skills. Even in retirement, I'm still benefitting from that year and the relationships developed.
Jim, An infinitely better assessment that I could ever write. Thank you for the detail and thoughtful reasons. Yes, some utterly brilliant people grace our seminars but each individual contributes to the national security thinking worldwide—by design.
Couldn't agree more! I graduated from NWC in 2009 and in looking back at how it impacted the latter part of my career I can tell you it made a tremendous, positive difference. Many in the Air Force will tell you that attending Air War College is more useful as it connects officer students / peers who will continue to work closely together as they progress in their Air Force careers. But NWC made lasting various "other government agencies" and international connections that were invaluable to me in my career path. Those connections opened doors to dialog and trust-relationships using the 10 - 12 month NWC experience as the bedrock regardless of which year individuals attended.
On a more personal note.... upon attending my first seminar session, surrounded by some of the smartest, most impressive classmates I could imagine... I quickly determined that: 1) I hadn't read enough in my career and 2) I'd read mostly the wrong stuff. I had focused my reading on military history and leadership but had neglected incredibly important topics like economics, international relations, critical thinking, strategic planning and similar topics. NWC opened my eyes to those topics and more and also honed my skills in listening before speaking (critical). I used me as an example as I emphasized that reality in my talks with hundreds of Air Force ROTC cadets as they started their careers.
It also emphasized to me the importance of considering others' viewpoints on history vs. how we Americans see it. That point was a front-and-center lesson for me as I got to know one of my classmates who was a fighter pilot in the Argentine Air Force. His perspective on the Falkland Islands war was vastly different from how the Brits and Americans saw it.
The staff and faculty the year I attended were amazing. It's where I met you (Dr. Watson) and benefited greatly from your mentorship w/ respect to my writing skills. Even in retirement, I'm still benefitting from that year and the relationships developed.
what a great summary of the war college — its value to the students and the nation. Ike and Marshall and Hap Arnold would be pleased.