June 17, 2016 -- The USAWC journey begins next week for 75 officers of allied and partner nations who will first complete a 6-week orientation for all International Fellows, and then join their US counterparts in early August in the U.S. Army War College Resident Program Class of 2017.
Today is a milestone for 32 of those international officers for whom English is not their native language. They have completed the nine-week Academic Preparatory Course to hone their language skills for reading, seminar discussions, research, and academic writing at the graduate level.
“The course is designed for officers who may not be as proficient in English or have had as much academic experience as the average incoming international officer,” said Jeremy Beussink, who has been the IF Writing and Research Instructor 7 years.
The international officers address the workshop topics in seven-man teams, each with its own instructor.
We understand that these officers are the best and brightest, representing their countries, said Kerri Bechert, academic prep course teacher. “They are incredibly bright and intuitive. They have the skills to be leaders in their Army.
“We are teaching them is how to communicate efficiently and effectively at this level and a type of writing that is expected at the Army War College so they can perform at their potential,” she said.
“The curriculum is designed not only to review English skills but also to model reading, presentation, and writing assignments that students will encounter in the resident course, as well as familiarizing students to the seminar class dynamic and adult education format.” Beussink was referring the USAWC seminar group to be joined when classes start in August. Each seminar will include a cross-section of US Army, Sea Service, Air Force officers, federal civilian students, and four International Fellows for the seminar dialogue, case studies and experiential learning of the six-months of core course.
“The ACP course is interesting in the since that it gives us a little bit of warning of what will be happening once we cross the street,” said Lt. Col. Mohamadou Sylla from Senegal. The course gives them practice and confidence in processing a complex thought into English, he added.
Lt. Col. Mohamadou Abdoulaye Sylla from Senegal receives his certificate of completion from Amb. Daniel Shields during the APC graduation in Will Washcoe, June 17
“Sometimes we’re thinking very hard to have the right word. Sometimes it is also very hard to make the transition the way you want to make it, because communications is not only about the words you speak,” said Sylla. “It is about a combination of words with some movement to make it lively when you want to support an idea.”
“Before coming here I received the pre-course schedule and after reading through it I knew what we would cover in terms of grammar, reading and analytical writing in my view this the crux of the course,” said Lt. Col. Tony Aseavu from Papua New Guinea. “I would recommend that international students attend the ACP, because I can see that we are a step ahead for the resident course,” he said.
It’s been a nice experience with our classmates from different countries, different continents, different races, said Ukrainian Col. Oleksandr Taresnko. “I was actually surprised and pleased to see that all my peers were familiar with the situation in Ukraine. During presentations and briefings, I am asked many questions.”
The course serves as well to help prepare for the Test of English as a Foreign Language. International students must pass this test 83 percent to be eligible for the master’s degree in Strategic Studies.
The 75 International Fellows in the resident Class of 2017 represent 71 countries. This year, for the first time, the body of IF will include an officer from Jamaica. The USAWC Distance Education Program has currently enrolled 3 international officers in the DEP Class of 2016, graduating in July; 5 in the Class of 2017; and 10 in the Class of 2018. The distance program officers a curriculum equivalent to the resident program over a two year period, predominately online with two 2-week resident phases. International Fellows have been invited by the Chief of Staff of the Army to attend the Army War College in a State Department program executed by the Defense Department.
The following are students attending the Academic Preparatory Course, in no specific order:
Armenia Lt. Col. Artem Avdalyan; Brazil Col. Joao Alberto Nunes de Paula and Col. Anysio Luis Crespo Alves Negrao; Bulgaria Col. Todor Dimitrov Todorov; Burkina Faso Col. Ernest Kisbedo; Cambodia Brig. Gen. Leangsong Buth; Chad Col. Mamadou Adam Mahamat; Colombia Col. Franklyn Gomez Gomez; Congo DRC Lt. Col. Patrick Sasa Nzita Lusala; Djibouti Lt. Col. Ahmed Daher Djama; El Salvador Col. Bosbeli Alejandro Recinos Magana; Ethiopia Lt. Col. Shiferaw Biru Gemeda; Georgia Col. Roman Jokhadze; Ghana Col. Johnson Kofi Akou-Adjei; Greece Lt. Col. Nestoras Vargemezis; Indonesia Col. Ahmad Faizal and Col. Hilman Hadi; Kosovo Lt. Col. Jeton Dreshaj; Mali Col. Yacouba Sanogo; Nepal Col. Santosh Dhakal; Papua New Guinea Lt. Col. Tony Kavawanny Aseavu; Peru Col. Omar Gonzalo Noriega Ramirez; Romania Col. Remus Hadrian Bondor; Rwanda Col. Rwakabi Kakira; Saudi Arabia Col. Saeed Moshabab S. Alshahrani and Col. Mohammed Abdullah M Binshanar; Senegal Lt. Col. Mohamadou Abdoulaye Sylla; Tanzania Lt. Col. Lulacha Hayeshi; Tunisia Lt. Col. Hichem Khalifa; Turkey Lt. Col. Yucel Yavuz; Ukraine Col. Oleksandr Tarasenko; Vietnam Lt. Col. Vuong Van Nguyen
| Date Taken: |
06.17.2016 |
| Date Posted: |
02.22.2017 15:46 |
| Story ID: |
224349 |
| Location: |
CARLISLE BARRACKS, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
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