CGSOC Class of 2016 graduates

The 2016 graduating class was comprised of 1,307 students: 879 from the active U.S. Army; 50 – National Guard; 98 – U.S. Army Reserve; 87 – U.S. Air Force; 45 – U.S. Navy; 28 – U.S. Marine Corps; two from the U.S. Coast Guard; 109 international officers representing 90 countries; and nine from other U.S. government agencies.

Lt. Gen. Edward Cardon provides the keynote remarks during the CGSOC Class of 2016 graduation ceremony.

Lt. Gen. Edward Cardon provides the keynote remarks during the CGSOC Class of 2016 graduation ceremony.

Lt. Gen. Edward C. Cardon. Commanding General, U.S. Army Cyber Command provided the keynote remarks for the ceremony. Cardon is a 1982 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a former Deputy Commandant of CGSC from August 2008 – July 2010.

Approximately 1,300 officers graduated June 10 at 9 a.m. from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff Officer Course in a ceremony on the Main Parade Field on Fort Leavenworth.

The 10-month Command and General Staff Officers Course develops war-fighting and adaptive leadership skills necessary for military officers to be proficient in Unified Land Operations. The College is an educational center of excellence renowned in the study of leadership, the conduct of joint and combined land warfare, and the application of Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, and Multinational organizations to synchronize all elements of power to achieve national objectives.

In addition to completing the graduate-level course, 139 students were awarded the Master of Military Art and Science (MMAS) Degree. Students earn the master’s degree by successful completion of the Command and General Staff Officers Course, successful completion of an oral comprehensive exam, and writing and orally defending a thesis based on original research. The College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools to award the master’s degree.

The international military students of the class received the CGSC International Officer Graduate Badge during a ceremony Thursday, June 9, at 9 a.m. in the Eisenhower Auditorium at the Lewis and Clark Center. See the story here.

As with each graduating CGSOC class, several students earned recognition for their personal achievement throughout the course. Award recipients for the 2016 class were:

• General George C. Marshall Award (Distinguished U.S. graduate)*— Maj. William J. Denn III, U.S. Army

• General Dwight D. Eisenhower Award (Distinguished International graduate)* — Maj. Ian J. Brandon, New Zealand

• Colin L. Powell Interagency Award (Distinguished Interagency graduate)* — Nathan D. Scott, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

• General George S. Patton Jr. Award (Master Tactician)* — Maj. Charles Bies, U.S. Army

• Major General James M. Wright Award (Master Logistician)* — Maj. Erica L. Kane, U.S. Army

• General Douglas MacArthur Military Leadership Writing Award — Maj. Lynn M. Breckenridge, U.S. Army

• General John J. Pershing Award (Top Distance Learning graduate) — Maj. Thomas M. Nelson, U.S. Army

• Major General Hans Schlup Award* — Lt. Col. Hans-Jakob Reichen, Switzerland

• Excellence in JC4I Writing Award — Maj. Carla M. Gleason, U.S. Air Force

• Birrer-Brookes Award four Outstanding MMAS Thesis* — Maj. Oliver D. Burwell, United Kingdom

• Homeland Security Studies Award* — Maj. Matthew D. Bartels, U.S. Marine Corps

• Lt. Col. Boyd McCanna “Mac” Harris Leadership Award* — Maj. Bishane Whitmore, U.S. Air Force

• Iron Major Award (Top male/female in physical fitness)* — Lt. Brandon Euhus, U.S. Navy and Maj. April Moore, U.S. Army

• Arter-Darby Military History Writing Award — Maj. Roland P. Minez, U.S. Army

• Arter-Doniphan Award — Maj. William J. Denn III, U.S. Army

• Simons Center Interagency Writing Award* — Maj. Kyle M. Johnston, U.S. Army

• Brigadier General Benjamin H. Grierson Award For Excellence in Strategic Studies* — Maj. Luke Goh, Singapore

• Father Donald Smythe Award — Lt. Col. Brian C. Beldowicz, U.S. Army

• Excellence in Joint Service Warfare Award — Maj. John Raymond Longley III, U.S. Army

• Civilian Instructor of the Year* — Mr. Kevin E. Gentzler

• Military Instructor of the Year* — Lt. Col. Christopher J. Springer, U.S. Army

Note: * denotes award sponsored by the CGSC Foundation.

Click here for the full description of each award.