Photo By Dan Neal | Graduates, staff, faculty, family and friends in Eisenhower Auditorium at the 2025...... read more read more
THE ARMY UNIVERSITY, FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kansas – Just a week before the Army celebrates 250 years of defending the nation, nearly 1,000 new leaders graduated from the Command and General Staff College’s Command and General Staff Officer Course poised to be the next agile and decisive line of defense the force demands.
In a ceremony June 6, 2025, 950 individuals representing nearly all branches of the armed forces, 92 international militaries, and three federal agencies completed the 10-month graduate level program effectively preparing them for the next 10 years of their careers.
In total, 907 master’s degrees were conferred to include Master of Military Art and Science and Master of Operational Studies.
Guest speaker Brig. Gen. Matthew Hardman, Deputy Commanding General (Maneuver), 1st Infantry Division, spoke to the rigor of the course work that ranges from in-depth analysis of historical battles to contemporary wargames created to challenge the officers’ division level tactical skills in multi-domain environments.
Fifteen years earlier, Hardman sat where the class of 2025 sat, waiting to leave for his next assignment reflecting on how he has navigated his career since.
“You’re all going to do great things for the people you lead, those with whom you serve and the organizations that you serve,” he said. “None of us know which missions or tasks are truly in front of us. There are high expectations, though, on all of you, for your leadership and warfighting capability. But those expectations come from a place of profound respect.”
Hardman touched on several “tropes” of commencement speeches, highlighting their connection to this year’s graduating class in the Army’s historic place in time.
First, the Army’s victories of “deposing dictators and liberating countries.” Those things are true.
Those sitting in the audience are the Army’s future.
“If we fight large-scale conflict, many of you will be commanding battalions in a couple years if not months. That’s also true,” Hardman said. “If we have to fight a large-scale war, a couple of you will write the plan that wins that war.”
The “Victory Plan” the assisted in the formation of an Army capable of ending World War II, Hardman pointed out, was written by a major and graduate of CGSC; then Maj. Albert Wedemeyer.
While the last 10 months taught the graduates how to plan such things as ending wars, career and life planning will change without their permission.
Hardman encouraged the graduates to shift their focus from planning, to defining success for themselves, forgetting stereotypes or tropes of promotions and certain positions.
“My own definition of success is to make the people I serve with and the organizations I serve in better,” he said. “For me, that has been the quite reminder that no promotion, no position, no evaluation, for better or worse, is going to determine whether or not I’ve been successful as a leader or as a person. At times that reminder has been incredibly humbling. In others, incredibly reassuring.”
To achieve personally defined success?
“Just do the thing,” Hardman said. “We don’t know the trials you will be given in the work and life ahead. And you likely won’t fully know or appreciate in the moment if there’s a why. But I would recommend that you do the work in front of you. Do the thing. Do it with alacrity. Maybe no one else will know, but when you look in the mirror, you will know.”
Those “things” include doing the everyday, mundane things consistently and accurately.
“Transactional or mundane tasks done well are transformative,” he said.
Hardman challenged the graduates to be present both in their formations and at home.
Getting to work early but home for dinner, leaving the office, and giving undivided attention to those around to include family will help keep you focused, and moving toward their defined level of success, Hardman explained.
While Hardman discussed the uncertainty in front of them, Lt. Gen. Milford H. Beagle, Jr., Commandant, CGSC, explained the “best year of their life” has prepared them to take it head on.
“Each of you will leave here better than how you arrived 10 months ago,” he said. “You leave here in a better place because you grew.”
Each year, the performance of a group of students in the classroom and beyond are recognized with a variety of awards.
CGSOC Class of 2025 Award Winners
General George C. Marshall Award
Maj. Samantha Domingue, ARNG
General Dwight D. Eisenhower Award
Maj. Zakariae Tiddarine, Morrocco
General Colin L. Powell – Interagency Award for Excellence
Ms. Elizabeth Holcombe, Dept. Of State
General Douglas MacArthur Military Leadership Writing Competition
1st Place – Maj. Lee Whee Sian, Dylan, Staff Group 12C
2nd Place – Maj. Benjamin Garlick, Staff Group 20A
3rd Place – Maj. Callum Knight, Staff Group 20A
Arter-Darby Military History Writing Award
Maj. Phillip Savoie, Staff Group 20A
Arter-Doniphan Award
Maj. Samantha Domingue, ARNG
General John J. Pershing Award
Maj. Daniel Sullivan, 10th Special Forces Group, Fort Carson, CO
Iron Major (Male)
Maj. John Bomsta, Staff Group 13C
Iron Major (Female)
Maj. Jordan Miller, Staff Group 9A
Armed Forces Communications Electronics Association (AFCEA) Excellence in Information Warfare Writing Award
Maj. Joel Richardson, Staff Group 15D
Lieutenant Colonel Boyd McCanna “Mac” Harris Leadership Award
Maj. Mathew Jerrell, Staff Group 18C
Birrer-Brookes Outstanding Thesis Award
Maj. Lee Whee Sian, Dylan, Staff Group 12C
Major General Hans Schlup Award
Lt. Col. Emad Odeh Awwad Alwreikat, Jordan
Major General James M. Wright Distinguished Master Sustainer Award
Winner – Maj. Joshua Moore, Staff Group 01B
Finalists – Maj. Lakesa Cobb, Staff Group 01C; Maj. Matthew Giersdorf, Staff Group 16D
George S. Patton Distinguished Master Tactician Award
Winner – Maj. John Bolen, Staff Group 9D
Finalists – Maj. Phillip Savoie, Staff Group 20A; Maj. Stewart Tice, Staff Group 14B, Maj. Royce Lawrence, SG 06A
Homeland Security Studies Award
Lt. Cdr. Adam Biggs, Staff Group 11C
Excellence in Joint Service Warfare Award
Maj. Hilary Schultz, Staff Group 21A
Brigadier General Benjamin H. Grierson Award for Excellence in Strategic Studies
Winner – Maj. Spencer Bates, Staff Group 20A
Finalists – Maj. Callum Knight, Staff Group 20A; Maj. Zakariae Tiddarine, Staff Group 16A
Father Donald M. Smythe Military History Award
Maj. John Bolen, Staff Group 9D
Lieutenant Colonel Ronald C. Ward Distinguished SOF Student Award
Maj. Benjamin Garlick
| Date Taken: | 06.06.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.09.2025 15:27 |
| Story ID: | 500113 |
| Location: | FORT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 35 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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