NORFOLK – Military officers from Colombia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Italy, Korea, Mexico, The Philippines, Serbia, and Turkey are arriving in the Hampton Roads area to attend the Joint and Combined Warfighting School of the Joint Forces Staff College.
Army Major General Byron S. Bagby, the 27th Commandant of the Joint Forces Staff College, will welcome the 16 international officers along with other members of the class Monday, April 7th.
The students will undergo a ten-week course of instruction focused on National Military Strategy, Theater Operational Planning, Contemporary Operating Environment, and Command and Control of Joint Operations under a Joint Force Commander. Four JCWS classes are conducted each year.
In addition to the international officers, the incoming class will consist of 229 active duty U.S. military officers from the Air Force (80), Army (75), Navy (52), Marine Corps (21) and the Coast Guard (1). Other military students will include three Army National Guard, two Army Reserve, and one Air National Guard. JCWS will also have one civilian student each from Joint Forces Command, Central Command, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Geospatial Agency, and the Government Accountability Office.
International students are an integral part of every JCWS class. In an effort to make the international students feel welcome, the college's International Military Student Office manages a Community Sponsor Program designed to link each student with a member of the local community. Community Sponsor volunteers assist in providing the International students a civilian perspective of American life. At the same time, the community sponsors have an opportunity to learn about another country and culture. There are no specific commitments required of community sponsors. Typically, a community sponsor might invite their student to dinner or take them on a family outing. Long-lasting friendships are frequently established with community sponsors remaining in contact with the international student long after the student returns to his country. Anyone interested in becoming a Community Sponsor can contact the IMSO at 757-443-6626 or 6620.