Did you know that international course members on the Advanced Command Staff Course (ACSC) are presented with a bronze cormorant pin badge at the end of their studies?
The pin is a record of achievement in completing the course and is presented by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Oxfordshire.
The pin may be worn by course members on their uniform subject to local military dress regulations.
One of this year’s recipients was Lieutenant Commander Jake Guarino of the US Navy.
Speaking of his experience of studying at the Defence Academy, and bringing his family with him, he said:
“To obtain a greater depth of understanding we must reach beyond our comfort zones and knowledge. The opportunity to travel and engage with other people and perspectives does not come often in life and its value cannot be measured. This is precisely the opportunity that ACSC offered to my family. From the far reaches of the globe we were all brought together under one roof to learn, not just a curriculum, but from each other. The friendships that were forged here between families will never be forgotten and will surely have an impact on generations to come. For truly the greatest strength of a nation is in its relationships and in those we can call friend in our time of need.”
ACSC supports UK military officers, international allies and civil servants to develop the intellectual edge required to achieve success on operations and leadership in government.
ACSC study focuses on the following themes:
- understanding the world through a theoretical grounding in international relations and strategy
- managing the defence enterprise by developing business skills
- applying the military instrument in the Information Age as part of an integrated force