Course members from this year’s Advanced Command and Staff Course (ACSC) have graduated from the Joint Service Command and Staff College, marking the 27th delivery of the internationally recognized programme.
A week-long series of events to mark the occasion included the presentation of Cormorant Pin badges to international students by the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Marjorie Glasgow, BEM, a closing address and Q and A from General Sir Jim Hockenhull, KBE ADC, Commander UK Strategic Command, and a key note address by Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, KCB ADC, Chief of the Defence Staff. During his speech, Admiral Radakin emphasised the importance of the relationships developed over the duration of the course:
A total of 256 course members completed this year’s course. This included 100 overseas course members, and the first to attend from Burkina Faso.
On the final day, displays from the RAF Red Arrows Aerobatic Display Team and the RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team, and a closing address from Course Director Group Captain Dave Stewart, preceded the prizegiving where Major General Salah Bin Abdul Rahman al Harbi, Chief of the Military Organisation, Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG) was Guest of Honour.
In bringing the presentation to a close he said:
ACSC is a 46 week-long course, designed to prepare mid ranking military officers and civil servants for senior positions, focusing on the continuous evolution of modern warfare, and developing the intellectual edge required to achieve success in both operations and government leadership roles.
ACSC28 will commence in September.
ACSC 27 award winners
Commandant’s Commendations
For exceptional contribution to all aspects of life on ACSC 27. Presented by The Chief Executive and Commandant of the Defence Academy, Major General Peter Rowell.
- Lieutenant Colonel Nadine Barker, Corps of Royal Engineers
- Commander Thomas Boeckx, Royal Navy
- Lieutenant Colonel Olliver Bridle, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
- Lieutenant Colonel Simon Burkill, Rifles
- Wing Commander Henry Coltart, Rifles
- Wing Commander Gerard McCormack, Royal Air Force
- Lieutenant Colonel Charlie Monnington, Army Air Corps
- Lieutenant Colonel Charlie Summerfield, Royal Logistic Corps
- Wing Commander Alice Tierney, Royal Air Force
- Wing Commander Rebecca Woolley, Royal Air Force
Team Commendation – the ‘Boomers’
- Wing Commander Courtney Belam, Royal Air Force
- Major Ray Chew, Singapore Armed Forces
- Lieutenant Colonel Mike Dobbin, Grenadier Guards
- Lieutenant Colonel Dal Nwokora, Royal Navy
- Commander Patrick Vickers, Royal Navy
The Cormorant Fellowships
Presented by Professor Niall Barr, Dean of the Defence Studies Department at King’s College London.
The Cormorant Fellowship is a two-year honorary title awarded by King’s College London to those course members whose performance in formal written work and whose continuing academic enthusiasm have stood out during the course. The prize provides the course members with financial and other support for research from King’s College London and a one-year subscription to the Royal United Services Institute.
- Surgeon Commander Christopher Hillman, Royal Navy
- Lieutenant Colonel Edward Michell, Coldstream Guards
- Lieutenant Colonel David Murphy, Queen's Gurkha Signals
- Wing Commander Rebecca Woolley, Royal Air Force
The Andover and Brooke Popham prizes
The Andover and Brooke Popham prizes, presented to international and UK course members for outstanding Defence Research Papers (DRP), the major academic submission of the course. Presented by Matthew Savill, Director of Military Sciences, at the Royal United Services Institute.
Runner-Up to the Andover Prize for the international course member DRP
- Lieutenant Colonel Heinrich Maarten Zomer, Royal Netherlands Army
Winner of The Andover Prize for the Best DRP by an international course member
- Major Ray Chew, Singapore Armed Forces
Runner-ups to the Brooke-Popham Prize
- Wing Commander Rebecca Collis, Royal Air Force
- Commander Lee Isted, Royal Navy
Winner of The Brooke-Popham Prize for the Best DRP by a UK course member
- Wing Cdr Thomas Barnes, Royal Air Force
Best Strategy, Operations and Defence Capability awards
The Best Strategy Award
The Best Strategy Award, sponsored by Serco, and awarded to the person who has developed and applied the greatest understanding and analysis of UK Security and Defence, the formulation of strategy and its applications to regions of interest. Presented by Noel Beavis, Serco Services Director.
- Mr Colin Manners, Ministry of Defence
The Best Operations Award
The Best Operations Award, sponsored by QINETIQ for the course member who has shown the best all-round theoretical understanding and aptitude in integrated and joint operations. Presented by Richard Powell, Director of Strategic Engagement.
- Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Cherry, The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
The Best Defence Capability Award
The Best Defence Capability Award, sponsored by ADS Group for the course member who has shown the greatest understanding of the principles that govern the Higher Management of Defence in balancing policy, concepts, capability and resource, and their application at that level. Presented by Samira Braund, Director Defence.
- Wing Commander Owen Cheverton, Royal Air Force
The Best Navy Award
The Best Navy (including Royal Marines and their international equivalent) award sponsored by Babcock International and presented to the Navy or Marine course member who has shown the greatest conceptual and practical understanding of integrated defence and security issues, and who has made a significant contribution to the wider aspects of ACSC. Presented by Admiral Sir Nigel Essenhigh.
- Commander Lee Isted
The Best Army Award
The Best Army Award, sponsored by General Dynamics UK and presented to the Army course member who has shown the greatest conceptual and practical understanding of integrated defence and security issues, and who has made a significant contribution to the wider aspects of ACSC. Presented by David Worrell, Head of Customer Support at General Dynamics UK.
- Major Ray Chew, Singapore Armed Forces
The Best Air and Space Force Course Member Award
The Best Air and Space Force Course Member awards sponsored by Northrop Grumman UK and presented to the Air or Space Force course member who has shown the greatest conceptual and practical understanding of integrated defence and security issues, and who has made a significant contribution to the wider aspects of ACSC. Presented by David Lindsay Head UK Joint and Maritime Domains in the UK for the Northrop Grumman Corporation.
- Squadron Leader Andrew Boeree, Royal Australian Air Force
The Best Civil Servant Course Member Award
The Best Civil Servant Course Member award sponsored by Serco and presented to the civil servant course member who has shown the greatest conceptual and practical understanding of integrated defence and security issues, and who has made a significant contribution to the wider aspects of ACSC. Presented by Noel Beavis, Serco Services Director.
- Mr Rory Beswick, Ministry of Defence
The Ironmongers’ Millennium Prize for Excellence
The Ironmongers’ Millennium Prize for Excellence, sponsored by The Ironmongers’ Company and presented to the course member who has stood out in terms of creativity, critical analysis of problems and the confidence to experiment and take justifiable intellectual risk. Presented by Ewan Wauchope, Master of The Worshipful Company of Ironmongers.
- Commander Lee Isted, Royal Navy
Best International Course Member Prize
Best International Course Member Prize, sponsored by Thales UK and presented to the international course member who has stood out, in terms of professional excellence related to the understanding of the joint nature of military operations and who has made a significant, altruistic contribution to all aspects of life on ACSC. Presented by Dave Hudson, Senior Account Director, British Army, and Special Forces.
- Major Ray Chew, Singapore Armed Forces
The Chief of Defence Staff Prize
The Chief of Defence Staff Prize, sponsored by BAE Systems and presented to the course member who has stood out in terms of professional excellence related to the understanding of the joint nature of military operations, and made a significant, altruistic, contribution to all aspects of life on the ACSC. Presented by Major General Colin Weir, Senior Land Advisor to BAE Systems.
- Major Ray Chew, Singapore Armed Forces
The Cormorant Award
The Cormorant Award, presented to the course member who is voted by their peers (both course members and staff) to have made the greatest contribution to the course community throughout the academic year. Presented by Guest of Honour, Staff Major General Saleh bin Abdulrahman Al-Harbi.
- Col Abdulrazzaq AlMulla, Kuwait Armed Forces