Command and General Staff Officer Education for the 21st Century Examining the German Model

Abstract

Abstract : With the rearming of Germany in 1955 came the need for the fledgling Bundeswehr to educate general staff officers. This need was met by establishing the Fuhrungsakademie (German Armed Forces Command and Staff College). The Fuhrungsakademie was created with the same time honored principles that had served general staff officer training previously: careful selection of the most highly qualified and promising officers and a broad based education rigorously applied. However, little information on the current Fuhrungsakademie Education System is available in the English language. This monograph attempts to address this void. The author conducted research and interviews with the faculty, staff, and students at the Fuhrungsakademie in Hamburg, Germany in order to understand and assess the education given to German general staff officer aspirants. The central general staff officers education course is the National General/Admiral Staff Officers Course. The subject of this investigation focuses on five key areas of the Fuhrungsakademie Educational System as it is implemented in the National General/Admiral Staff Officers Course: student selection, curriculum, educational methodology, faculty, and post education concepts. An overview of the German officer education and training system and a brief description of the current German General Staff System are also included.