Marine Corps University

Command and Staff College

Catalog

AY 2003-2004

i

College Snapshot

The College 

The Marine Corps Command and Staff College, including its School of Advanced 

Warfighting (SAW), provides intermediate and advanced-intermediate level

professional military education to field grade officers of the Marine Corps, other 

services and agencies, and foreign countries to prepare them for command and staff 

duties with Marine Air Ground Task Forces (MAGTFs) and for assignment with joint, 

multi-national, and high-level service organizations.

The Campus

The College, located within the Marine Corps University complex aboard the Marine 

Corps Combat Development Command, Quantico, Virginia, is approximately 45 

minutes south of Washington, DC, via Interstate Highway 95. In addition to MCCDC 

schools, Quantico is also home to the Marine Corps Systems Command, Marine Corps 

Intelligence Activity, Marine Security Guard Battalion, and portions of Headquarters, 

Marine Corps.

The Faculty

The faculty is a unique blend of military officers and civilian professors. The military 

faculty are all senior service school graduates from all four services and various 

military specialties. The civilian professors (all with doctorates) have been chosen for 

their proven ability to teach military history, strategy, international relations, and the 

operational art of war. 

The Students

Command and Staff College: The typical student body consists of 99 U. S. Marine 

Corps officers, 24 Naval officers, 14 Army/Army National Guard, 14 Air Force/Air 

National Guard, one Coast Guard officer, 26 International Military students, and up to 

12 professionals from civilian federal government agencies.

School of Advanced Warfighting: The SAW class can consist of up to 24 

officers, including 15 Marines, plus sister service and international officers.

The Masters Program

All SAW graduates receive a Master of Operational Studies degree. CSC students 

have the option to pursue a Master of Military Studies degree. This optional degree 

requires significant additional study and effort.
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The Marine Corps Command and Staff College remains the premier WARFIGHTING school in 

the Professional Military Education (PME) system. Our course was the first intermediate-level 

service school to be accredited by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for Phase I Joint 

PME and we have been twice reaffirmed. In addition, the Marine Corps University is regionally 

accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award a Master of Military 

Studies degree through the Command and Staff College and a Master of Operational Studies 

degree through our School of Advanced Warfighting. 

Our student body consists of officers from all branches of our services, other countries, and 

civilian agencies with a wealth of experience and knowledge to share. The resident faculty is a 

carefully selected blend of professional military officers, experienced in various specialties and 

graduates of senior service schools, and civilian professors--who have been chosen for their 

proven ability to instruct and mentor on subjects such as military history, strategy, international 

relations, and the operational art. We are reinforced by equally impressive visiting professors 

and adjunct faculty who are experts in many fields which lend depth and focus to specific 

segments of the curriculum. With this superb combination of faculty and staff, our students are 

well educated in the complexities of the operational level of war. 

Our faculty is challenged to develop and execute a relevant, professionally-oriented curriculum, 

employing both contemporary and developing educational methods. The accreditation is 

evidence of our ability to meet that challenge as is our graduates’ demonstrated ability to 

function effectively as leaders and planners in follow-on command and staff duties. Officers 

must come prepared to read widely, think critically, and grow professionally; and it is our goal to 

offer them the professionally enriching education and experience they well deserve. 

CRAIG S. HUDDLESTON

Colonel, U. S. Marine Corps

From the Director,

Command and Staff College
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Table of Contents

Course Schedule ........................................................................................ 1

Chapter 1 ~ The Marine Corps University (MCU) and Professional Military 

Education (PME)

Background.......................................................................................... 5

Philosophy of PME................................................................................. 5

Chapter 2 ~ Command and Staff College (CSC)

Marine Corps Command and Staff College History ................................................. 11

Command and Staff College Philosophy ....................................................... 14

Key College Leaders............................................................................... 15

Faculty and Staff .................................................................................... 16

Adjunct Faculty..................................................................................... 20

Prominent Faculty and Student Alumni........................................................ 20

Chapter 3 ~ College Policy

Admission Requirements ......................................................................... 29

Admissions .......................................................................................... 29

Nominating Procedures/Deadlines ............................................................. 30

Academic Freedom ................................................................................ 31

Rules of Conduct................................................................................... 31

Attribution .......................................................................................... 31

Academic Ethics .................................................................................... 31

Plagiarism............................................................................................ 32

Academic Records ................................................................................. 33

Computer Use Policy.............................................................................. 33

Discrimination, Sexual Harassment & Equal Opportunity.................................. 35

Administrative Regulations....................................................................... 35

Chapter 4 ~ Curriculum

Overview............................................................................................ 39

Educational Objectives............................................................................ 39

Methodology ........................................................................................ 40

Curriculum Description........................................................................... 40

The Electives Program ............................................................................ 45

Recurring Themes ................................................................................. 48

Course Readings.................................................................................... 49

Writing Program and Awards.................................................................... 50
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Accreditation........................................................................................ 52

Master of Military Studies Degree............................................................... 52

Evaluations .......................................................................................... 53

Student Evaluation of the CSC (Course Critiques)........................................... 53

Distinguished Graduate Program................................................................ 54

Curriculum Summary ............................................................................. 54

Chapter 5 ~ School of Advanced Warfighting (SAW)

Mission ............................................................................................... 57

Intent................................................................................................. 57

Course Objectives.................................................................................. 57

Student Selection................................................................................... 58

Course Methodology .............................................................................. 59

Seminar .............................................................................................. 59

Curriculum Description........................................................................... 60

Evaluations .......................................................................................... 61

The Clifton B. Cates Award...................................................................... 61

Degree Awarded ................................................................................... 61

Organization ........................................................................................ 62

Chapter 6 ~ Educational Support Services 

General Alfred M. Gray Research Center ..................................................... 65

The Classified Material Control Center........................................................ 66

Resource Libraries in Geographic Area ........................................................ 66

Archives.............................................................................................. 66

Internet Availability................................................................................ 68

Marine Corps University Foundation........................................................... 68

Chair Holders for AY2003-2004 ................................................................ 69

Chapter 7 ~ Academic Life

Academic Life....................................................................................... 73

Class Organization ................................................................................. 73

Conference Group Billets......................................................................... 74

Conference Group Rotation...................................................................... 75

Distribution of Instructional Material........................................................... 75

Social Program...................................................................................... 75

Athletic Program................................................................................... 76

International Military Student Program ........................................................ 76

Glossary of Terms ...................................................................................... 79
1

Course Schedule

AY 2003-2004

1

st SEMESTER - ART AND SCIENCE OF WAR 11 Aug 03 – 9 Jan 04

Theory and Nature of War (Analytical Essay, 4 Sep; Course Exam, 25 Sep) 13 Aug – 25 Sep

Art of Command – Chancellorsville Staff Ride 21 Aug

Art of Command – Morality, Law and War 5 Sep

Art of Command – Civilian-Military Relations 26 Sep

Strategy and Policy (Analytical Essay, 30 Oct) 29 Sep – 30 Oct

Art of Command – Gettysburg Staff Ride 3-4 Nov

Art of Command – Military Leadership in Tactical Scenarios 6-7 Nov

Operational Level of War (Campaign Paper, 19 Dec) 12 Nov – 9 Jan

(Holiday Break 20 Dec 2003 – 4 Jan 2004)

2

nd SEMESTER- WARFIGHTING...FROM THE SEA 12 Jan – 24 May 03

Joint/MAGTF Organization (Point Paper) 12-16 Jan & 9-13 Feb

Electives (Trip Week 1-5 Mar) 15 Jan – 11 Mar

MCPP & Defensive Operations (Exam & Practical Application) 20 Jan – 6 Feb

MCPP & Offensive Operations (Practical Application) 17-25 Feb

Art of Command – Media Operations 26-27 Feb

MCPP & Expeditionary Operations (Analytical Essay & Prac Application) 8-26 Mar

Joint Operations 29 Mar – 1 Apr

Art of Command – Leadership at the Operational Level 2 Apr

Exercise “Open Access” 5-22 Apr

Art of Command – The Commander and Organizational Culture 26-27 Apr

Military Operations Other Than War (Analytical Essay, 21 May) 29 Apr – 27 May

Art of Command – Leadership in Military Ops Other Than War 1-3 Jun

GRADUATION 9 Jun 2004

Chapter One

~The Marine Corps University~

and

~Professional Military Education~

5

The Marine Corps University

and

Professional Military Education

BACKGROUND

In 1985, after a thorough review of the military education system, the Marine Corps began a 

series of changes designed to institutionalize the officer and enlisted Professional Military 

Education (PME) programs. Over the next several years, PME structure and curriculum reviews 

were completed outlining the professional development programs for the Marine Corps’ 

noncommissioned officers (NCOs), staff noncommissioned officers (SNCOs,) and officers. 

These reviews, still ongoing, resulted in the establishment of the Marine Corps University 

(MCU) in August, 1989.

The Marine Corps University was established to reinforce the concept of PME as a “mainstream” 

part of every Marine’s career. Currently comprised of the NCO School, SNCO Academy (and 

affiliated SNCO academies), Expeditionary Warfare School (EWS – formerly the Amphibious 

Warfare School and the Command and Control Systems School), Command and Staff College 

(CSC), the School of Advanced Warfighting (SAW), and the Marine Corps War College 

(MCWAR), MCU provides a focal point for all PME programs. 

The University provides the continuum for PME in the Marine Corps. All resident and 

nonresident PME, from a corporal attending his/her first NCO school to a lieutenant colonel 

attending our senior service school, is the domain of the University. (Note: hereafter in this 

catalog, the terms his or he will be used merely for the purposes of simplicity and brevity).

PHILOSOPHY OF PME

PME is the lifelong study of the foundations of the military profession. It is designed to equip 

Marines with the skills, confidence, understanding, and vision to exercise sound military 

judgment in battle. All officers, staff noncommissioned officers, and noncommissioned officers 

participate in this program.

OFFICER PME. Of particular interest to the inbound students of the Command and Staff 

College is the role of the College in the overall Marine Corps Officer PME program. The 

objectives of this program are to develop officers skilled in the employment of combat forces 

and the conduct of war; instill in these officers the skill and knowledge necessary to make sound 

decisions in progressively more demanding command and staff positions; improve the 

professional backgrounds and military education of officers, subsequently improving operational 

excellence of both single-service and joint military forces; and finally to develop strategic 

thinkers and operational level warfighters. A discussion of the five officer training and PME 

levels follows:
6

 PRECOMMISSIONING LEVEL. Conducted by the service academies, ROTC units, and 

Officer Candidate School (OCS). OCS is located at Quantico and integrates its program with 

those of the other commissioning programs to meet the Marine Corps’ needs.

 PRIMARY and CAREER LEVELS. Conducted at Quantico by the Basic School (TBS) and 

EWS. These schools focus on developing proficiency in military specialties and the tactical 

employment of military units.

a. TBS is a six-month primary course attended by all second lieutenants after 

commissioning. The course lays the foundation of officer basics prior to initial military 

occupational specialty training and assignment to the Fleet Marine Force (FMF).

b. EWS is a nine-month career course provided to captains. It is designed to enhance the 

skills and knowledge needed to operate effectively on a MAGTF staff or in a command billet as 

a captain or a major. EWS, a consolidation of the former Amphibious Warfare School and 

Command and Control Systems School, provides the first study of joint service operations as 

well as communications and information systems.

 INTERMEDIATE LEVEL. Conducted at Quantico by the 10-month CSC course, and its 

follow-on advanced 11-month course, the School of Advanced Warfighting (SAW), it is 

designed to prepare majors for MAGTF, departmental, joint and high-level service staff 

assignments. CSC provides its students phase I professional joint education (PJE).

 SENIOR LEVEL (Also referred to as TOP LEVEL). Conducted at Quantico, MCWAR is a 

10-month war college of advanced strategic studies that prepares graduates for follow-on 

assignment as members of the CSC faculty and for subsequent senior command and staff 

responsibilities.

 GENERAL OFFICER LEVEL. Normally conducted within the Washington, DC, area. 

Education at this level is inherently joint in nature. Its focus is on theater-level joint and 

multinational operations and the highest levels of strategy. General officer education is 

provided by the National Defense University.

The following table graphically portrays the Marine Corps officer education continuum 

within the overarching officer professional military education framework. As can be seen from 

the previous descriptions, the MCU has the key role in this process.
7

OFFICER MILITARY EDUCATION FRAMEWORK1 (From CJCSI 1800.01A dtd 1 Dec 2000) 

0-7/0-8

GENERAL/FLAG - CAPSTONE - Joint Matters and

national Security - Interagency Process - Multinational Operations

Joint CAPSTONE - National Security 

Strategy - Joint OperationalArt

0-5/0-6

SENIOR - Air War College - Army War College - College of Naval Warfare - Marine Corps War College - Industrial College of the Armed 

Forces2 - National War College2 - Joint Forces Staff College3

Joint & Combined Warfighting School - Service Schools: National 

Military Strategy - NCW: National SecurityStrategy - ICAF: National SecurityStrategy with emphasis on theResource Components

JPME Phase I - National Security Strategy - National Planning systems

and Processes - National Military Strategy andOrganization - Theater Strategy andCampaigning - The Role of Technology in 21st

Century Warfare 

JPME Phase II 3 - National Security and Military Strategy in development of theater

strategies - Theater Engagement and Campaign Planning with joint,

multinational and interagency organizations - JSPS, JOPES and operational-level battlespace systems integrationthrough deliberate and crisis planning 

0-3/0-4

INTERMEDIATE - Air Command & Staff College - Army Command & General 

Staff College - College of Naval Command& Staff - Marine Corps Command &

Staff College

- Joint Forces Staff College3

Joint & Combined Staff Officer 

School - Warfighting within the context of Operational Art

JPME Phase I - National Military Capabilities

and Command Structure - Joint Doctrine - Joint and Multinational Forcesat the Operational Level of War - Joint Planning and ExecutionProcesses - Information Operations

0-1/0-2/0-3

PRIMARY - Branch, Warfare, or

Staff Specialty Schools - Primary-Level PME Courses - Assigned Branch, Warfare, or Staff 

Specialty

Joint Awareness - Joint Warfare

Fundamentals - Joint Campaigning 

CADET/MIDSHIPMAN

PRECOMMISSIONING

SERVICE ACADEMIES

ROTC

OCS/OTS

CONCEPTUAL AWARENESS 

OF ALL LEVELS

Introduction To Services’ 

Missions

Joint Introduction - National Military Capabilities

and Organization - Foundation of Joint Warfare

GRADE

EDUCATION LEVEL

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS 

AND COURSES

LEVELS OF WAR 

EMPHASIZED

FOCUS OF MILITARY 

EDUCATION

JOINT EMPHASIS

TACTICAL

OPERATIONAL

1Refer to Appendix B to Enclosure A for a comprehensive description of PME2ICAF and NWC offer full JPME (Phase I & II not applicable )3Only JFSC is authorized to offer JPME Phase II 

STRATEGIC 
8

(This Page Intentionally Left Blank)
Chapter Two

~Command and Staff College~

11

Marine Corps Command and Staff College History

by Dr. D. F. Bittner

In 1920, the Command and Staff College (originally called The Field Officers’ Course) 

welcomed its first students. Through the years, its name has changed as follows: Field Officer’s 

School/Course (1920-33), the Second Year Class (1933-35), the Senior Course (1935-41), 

Command and Staff Course/School (1943-46), the Senior School (1946-64), and finally--the 

Command and Staff College (1964 to present). The course of study has always been that of an 

“academic year,” which in reality has usually been between eight and 10 months. 

The school has suspended its course of study only once: In January 1941, the 1940-41 Academic 

Year graduated several months early and succeeding classes were cancelled due to a need for 

field grade officers in a rapidly expanding Marine Corps. Between 1943-46, it was reopened as a 

12-week “nuts and bolts” course with a mission of teaching basic staff techniques needed for a 

Marine Corps whose offensive combat elements would eventually grow into six divisions 

organized into two amphibious corps, four aircraft wings, and various support units. In 1946, the 

previous sequence of academic years resumed and has continued uninterrupted through three 

“wars” and many minor conflicts. 

From the beginning, the basic mission has been to prepare field grade officers for command and 

staff duties at their current and future grades. Essentially, this mission has remained since 1920, 

although the focus of the Marine Corps and its organization have changed considerably in the 

ensuing eight decades. 

Originally, the curriculum was modeled after the two institutions most familiar to its instructors 

and students in concept, organization, and content: the U. S. Army schools at Fort Benning and 

Fort Leavenworth. Both featured an infantry orientation in support of continental ground 

campaigns. An Army presence also quickly appeared with the first soldier attending the 1921-22 

course. The last pre-World War II Army student graduated in 1932, with another Army student 

not arriving until 1943. 

Despite this initial Army focus, an embryonic naval perspective gradually appeared in the course 

of study. In 1925 the first U. S. Navy officer joined the faculty, and the first Navy officer 

students arrived for the 1928-29 Academic Year. Ten years later, in the 1938-39 course, seven 

of 29 students were U. S. Navy officers. Meanwhile, the push towards a stronger naval emphasis 

in the curriculum grew, and by the 1930-31 academic year 216 hours of instruction in “landing 

operations” were part of the course of study. 

By then, a struggle occurred for the “heart and soul” of the Marine Corps. Much of this struggle 

was waged at Quantico and within the professional educational system of the Marine Corps, 

most specifically within the College. The struggle focused on the development of an offensive

amphibious mission for the Marine Corps. This meant a mission leading to the seizure of 

defended beaches as part of a naval campaign and not just the defense of advanced naval bases. 
12

By 1934, major changes had occurred at the College, reflecting what had occurred in the Corps. 

The instructional departments were patterned after the basic staff functions in the newly 

established Fleet Marine Force. More importantly, a revised course used instructional materials 

based on Marine Corps equipment, Marine Corps organizations, and Marine Corps problems set 

within a maritime operational scenario. 

This led to a complete shift in the focus and content of the curriculum towards amphibious 

operations and away from its former predominately Army orientation. Until 1941, this remained 

the focus of the College as it educated its officers for the war in the Pacific--a prospect that its 

faculty and students saw looming in the immediate future. Without exaggeration, it can be said 

that the College, and the company officers course which evolved into the Amphibious Warfare 

School (now the Expeditionary Warfare School), were the vehicles used to inculcate the new 

role, mission, and capability of amphibious warfare into the officer corps.

As World War II approached, the Marine Corps was forced to prioritize several competing 

needs. As it quickly expanded in size, a need arose to screen officer candidates, train company 

grade officers, and staff key positions in the Fleet Marine Force. These requirements assumed 

higher priorities than the mission of educating and training field grade officers. 

Thus, in January 1941, the College suspended classes and its staff and students assumed other 

duties associated with these new requirements. By 1943, the Corps recognized the need for 

school-trained, field grade officers with commensurate skills to serve in the Pacific Theater at 

regimental, division, and corps levels. Thus, an operationally oriented “Command and Staff 

Course,” soon renamed “Command and Staff School,” opened at Quantico. 

Its 12, three-month courses taught students the command and staff skills deemed immediately 

necessary in the Pacific Theater of Operations, with a primary focus on the amphibious assault 

and subsequent operations ashore. In a reversal of prewar policies, international officers also 

attended the school during the Second World War. During that conflict, officers from Australia, 

Canada, France, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom graduated from the 

12-week Command and Staff School.

After V-J Day, the Marine Corps confronted both demobilization and its new responsibilities in 

the postwar world. In 1946, it reestablished the former three-tiered, professional military 

education system which had previously served it so well. The initial, full-year academic course 

for the College, now named “Senior School,” commenced in September 1946. The curriculum 

remained focused on the amphibious mission, with instruction now rooted in both theory and the 

lessons learned from actual combat operations in World War II. However, in these years, the 

curriculum reflected the changed technology of the decade after the war as the implications of 

both the atomic age and the use of helicopters were incorporated into the course of study.

Into the 1960’s, amphibious warfare remained the primary focus of the curriculum. However, 

the school, in 1964, now officially named the “Command and Staff College,” adjusted to events 

in a rapidly changing world. Counterinsurgency and computer instruction were added to the 

curriculum. Also, the teaching method shifted away from one relying solely on lectures to one 

combining them with the seminar mode of learning. This combined method, which continues 
13

today, has thus achieved the stated goal of the school’s initial Director, Colonel John C. 

Beaumont, who wrote in 1920 to the Major General Commandant, John A. Lejeune, that this 

would be the desired method of instruction.

Through the 1970’s and into the 1980’s, amphibious operations retained their position as the 

heart of the College’s course of instruction. However, in the 1982-83 academic year, major 

curriculum reforms occurred to enhance instruction. These included the return of military 

history (non-tactical) to the core curriculum, an execution phase to all operational problems, and 

extensive use of computers in operational and academic instruction. 

By the 1989-90 academic year, further changes occurred in the curriculum--potentially the most 

significant since the 1930’s. The course of instruction now rests on three foundations: military 

history, operational techniques, and operational and tactical doctrine, plus the integration of joint 

professional military education. Woven into this is instruction on the Marine Air Ground Task 

Force (MAGTF) so all graduates will be cognizant in a detailed sense of MAGTF operations. To 

implement this, the first year curriculum of the College has been divided into the following 

major areas: Art and Science of War (Theory and Nature of War, Strategy and Policy, 

Operational Level of War); Warfighting From the Sea (Joint, Defensive, Offensive and, 

Amphibious Operations, and Military Operations Other Than War); and the Art of Command. 

In the 80-plus years of its history, the Marine Corps Command and Staff College curriculum has 

evolved from one emulating the U. S. Army Command and General Staff College to one rooted 

in the Marine Corps’ roles and missions in both Naval expeditionary force and Joint Task Force 

operations. The College educates its officers in the professional skills needed to function on the 

contemporary battlefield and with the knowledge necessary to place such operations within a 

larger national security context. 
14

Command and Staff College Philosophy

Marine Corps Professional Military Education (PME) is designed to provide the structure 

described in MCDP 1. Command and Staff College has responsibility for resident and distance 

learning PME for all Marine Corps majors. Subsequently, the schools and courses designed, 

managed, and presented at Command and Staff College are integrated into the Marine Corps’ 

overall PME framework.

Command and Staff College is a “college” in every sense of the word. As a military 

organization, CSC is the parent unit of the Officers, NCOs, and civilians who prepare, present, 

and support the programs of the “college.” As an educational institution, the College is a 

combination of two resident schools (CSC and SAW), and the attendant programs that support 

development of the educational process.

The environment we wish to create combines rigorous academic challenges and freedom to 

speak and think. It capitalizes on the discipline and maturity of our students. Our goal is not to 

teach the student what to think, but instead to provide a decision-making framework for the 

situations he or she will face as service continues. With support from the Marine Corps 

University and the Marine Corps Combat Development Command, we have curricula that 

expose the students to the foremost experts in the fields we study. Our close proximity to 

Washington, DC, enables the College to invite numerous speakers and policymakers to present 

the emerging thoughts and developments in their fields. Practical application exercises and 

wargames allow the student to evaluate the latest developments in doctrine. Writing and briefing 

opportunities enable our students to delve deeply into a particular interest or area of research.

We have found academic challenge and opportunities to speak, think, grow, and prepare for the 

rest of an officer’s career are best served in small, informal settings. To this end, each of our 

schools has its student body organized into conference groups. These groups, normally 16-17 

officers in size, are the heart of our effort. Officers from every service and civilians from several 

federal agencies are represented within the group. International Military Student Officers help 

bring a global perspective to group development. Thoughts and information provided through 

readings, study, and our guest speakers program are analyzed and discussed within the group. 

The diversity of backgrounds enables the group to enhance its own education; each member is 

expected to share his or her knowledge with the group.

Supporting the conference group in its efforts is the Faculty Advisor Team, consisting of a senior 

military officer and a civilian professor. The Faculty Advisor Team guides, directs, facilitates, 

and coordinates learning activities. They are the administrative link with other supporting

agencies and the filter for external distractions that could potentially disrupt the group. They 

preside over the various professional and social groupings that make up the conference group 

experience. In addition, they evaluate student performance, counsel, and correct as necessary.

Command and Staff College is dedicated to preparing its students for the challenges that lie 

ahead. We take seriously our part in the Marine Corps and Joint PME processes that mandate 

continuous professional development to face these challenges.
15

Key College Leaders

DIRECTOR. The Director, a Marine colonel who has commanded at the 0-6 level and is a toplevel school graduate, is responsible to the President of the Marine Corps University for 

academic policies and administrative direction of the College. He is charged with the 

supervision of students, faculty and staff. He coordinates with the heads of Marine Corps 

University organizations, Marine Corps Combat Development Command divisions, and other 

agencies on matters relating to Command and Staff College.

DEPUTY DIRECTOR/DEAN OF STUDENTS. A post command and top-level school 

graduate, the deputy assists the Director in the discharge of his many and varied responsibilities. 

The Deputy Director has responsibility for supervising all matters dealing with student affairs 

and faculty administration (excluding academic administration), and special events. The Deputy 

Director is the executive agent for the Director charged with coordinating all matters relating to 

protocol, fiscal planning and facilities maintenance/planning. The Deputy Director also serves as 

the Dean of Students.

DEAN OF ACADEMICS. The Dean is responsible to the Director for all academic matters. 

The Dean guides the efforts of the Academic Department in the development, implementation, 

evaluation, and refinement of all curricula presented by the College. He chairs faculty meetings, 

workshops, and Course Content Review Boards. He is responsible for the quality standards of 

education within the College. 

ASSOCIATE DEAN. A civilian professor responsible to the Dean of Academics for faculty 

development, oversight of visiting chairs, educational policies, administration of the electives 

program, curriculum accreditation, standards, and implementation of the Master’s Degree 

Program.

HEAD, SCHOOL OF ADVANCED WARFIGHTING. A Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel and 

top-level school graduate responsible to the Director, CSC, for the execution of the advanced, 

second-year resident course.

JOINT CURRICULUM COORDINATOR. The Joint Curriculum Coordinator is a faculty 

member responsible for implementation and coordination of Joint Professional Military 

Education.

INTERNATIONAL MILITARY STUDENT OFFICER (IMSO) PROGRAM 

COORDINATOR. A uniformed faculty member working for the Deputy Director, the IMSO 

Program Coordinator is responsible for the administration of the IMSO program with the 

University IMSO Office. This officer is the primary point of contact for international students, 

their sponsors, and the University. The coordinator and assistant ensure the smooth arrival and 

introduction to the College of our international students and their families; assist with personal 

and family issues throughout the year; and coordinate the numerous trips taken by the 

international officers and their families as part of their American Culture and Information 

Program requirements. 
16

REGISTRAR. The Registrar is a civilian educational specialist responsible to the Director for 

maintaining student records, scheduling and coordinating all periods of instruction, and other 

functions relating to implementing the syllabus of instruction. For the College, the Registrar 

essentially serves as the operations officer.

ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPORT OFFICER. Provides administrative assistance to 

faculty, staff, and students. This officer acts as liaison with the supporting establishment for all 

administrative details (medical, dental, pay, etc.); also provides oversight for the Support 

Department internal to the College.

CSC Faculty and Staff

Director 

Colonel C. S. Huddleston, USMC, Infantry Officer, M.A. & B.A., National University

Deputy Director

Col (S) W. L. Niblock, USMC, CH-46 Pilot, Master of Strategic Studies, Marine Corps War 

College; M.A., Webster University; B.S., University of Arkansas

Dean of Academics

Dr. C. D. McKenna, LTC, USA (Ret.), Ph.D. & M.A., Duke University; B.S., United States 

Military Academy

Deputy Director/ Dean of Students Dean of Academics

Head, SAW

Director, CSC

Registrar

Admin/Support Section

IMS Coordinator Faculty Advisors

Assoc. Dean

Civilian Professors

Course Directors

JPME Coordinator

Curriculum Developers

Assoc. Dean WFTS
17

Associate Dean of Academics

Dr. J. B. Matthews, LtCol, USMC (Ret.), Ph.D. & M.A., Washington State University; B.A., 

University of Notre Dame

Head, School of Advanced Warfighting

LtCol J. A. Koenig, USMC, Artillery Officer, Master of Strategic Studies, Marine Corps War 

College; MMS, USMC Command and Staff College; B.A., Vanderbilt University

MCU Chair, Central Intelligence Agency

Mr. H. G. Lyles, LtCol, USMC (Ret.), M.A., Chapman University; B.S., University of Texas

MCU Chair, Special Operations

LTC R. Griffin, USA, Special Operations Officer

Faculty

LtCol C. S. Ames, USMC, Air Command and Control Officer, Master of Strategic Studies, 

Marine Corps War College; M.S., Naval Postgraduate School; B.S., Eastern Illinois University

LTC H. W. Bennet, USA, Artillery Officer

Dr. K. A. Beyoghlow, Professor of International Relations, Ph.D., University of CaliforniaBerkeley; M.A., Tufts University; B.A., San Diego State University

Dr. D. F. Bittner, LtCol, USMCR (Ret.), Professor of Military History, Ph.D., M.A., & B.S. 

Ed., University of Missouri

CAPT (Sel) R. G. Bowdish, USN, Surface Warfare Officer, M.S., Naval Postgraduate School; 

B.A., University of Nebraska

Dr. J. P. Cann, CAPT, USNR (Ret.), Associate Professor of National Security Affairs, Ph.D., 

University of London; M.A. Georgetown University; M.B.A. & B. A., University of Virginia

Dr. N. L. Cigar, Professor of Strategic Studies, D. Phil.,University of Oxford; M.S., Joint 

Military Intelligence College; M.A., Columbia Univ; B.A., State Univ of New York at Buffalo

Col(S) J. T. Conklin, USMC, Infantry Officer, Master of Strategic Studies, Marine Corps War 

College; B.S., Tulane University

Dr. R. L. DiNardo, Associate Professor of National Security Affairs, M.Phil. & Ph.D. CUNY 

Graduate Center; B.A., Bernard Baruch College

CDR R. J. Geberth, USN, Surface Warfare Officer, M.S., Naval Postgraduate School; B.S., 

State University of New York

Dr. J. W. Gordon, Col, USMCR (Ret.), Professor of National Security Affairs, Ph.D. & M.A., 

Duke University; B.A., The Citadel

CDR P. C. Grgas, USN, Surface Warfare Officer, Master of Strategic Studies, Marine Corps 

War College; B.S., Virginia Military Institute
18

Dr. C. C. Harmon, Professor of International Relations, Ph.D. & M.A., Claremont Graduate 

School; B.A., Seattle University

LTC R. Hess, USA, UH-60 Pilot, Master of Strategic Studies, Marine Corps War College; B.S., 

Old Dominion University

Col(S) D. W. Hunt, USMC, Harrier Pilot, Master of Strategic Studies, Marine Corps War 

College; B.A., Georgetown College

Dr. M. H. Jacobsen, Professor of Military History, Ph.D. & M.A., University of CaliforniaIrvine; B.A., Reed College

Dr. W. R. Johnson, LtCol, USAF (Ret.), Professor of Strategic Studies, Ph.D., Florida State 

University; M.S., Troy State University; B.A., Southwest Texas State University

Dr. J. M. Klinger, Professor of National Security Affairs, Ph.D., University of California, 

Berkeley; M.A., University of South Carolina; B.A., Northern Illinois University

Dr. B. J. Meyer, Professor of Military History - SAW, Ph.D. & M.A., Ohio State University; 

B.A., Cornell University

LtCol J. E. Mitchell, USMC, UH-1/AH-1 Pilot, Master of Strategic Studies, Marine Corps War 

College; MMS, USMC Command and Staff College; MAS, Embrey-Riddle Aeronautical 

University; B.S. Jackson State University

LtCol C. S. Owens, USMC, AH-1 Pilot, Master of Strategic Studies, Marine Corps War 

College; M.M.S., Command and Staff College; B.S., Portland State University

CDR L. E. Phillips, USN, Naval Flight Officer, B.A., University of Delaware

LtCol R. L. Rodebaugh, USMC, Logistics Officer, B.S., Central Michigan University

Dr. G. W. Rudd, LTC, USA (Ret.), Professor of Strategic Studies - SAW, Ph.D. & M.A., Duke 

University; B.A., Virginia Polytechnic Institute

LtCol P. E. Smith, USMC, Infantry Officer, Master of Strategic Studies, Marine Corps War 

College; M.M.S., Command and Staff College; B.A., Texas A&M

LtCol A. G. Stai, Norwegian Army, Artillery Officer, M.M.S., USMC Command and Staff 

College, MCU; B.A., Norwegian Army Academy; B.A., University of Herstod, Norway

Dr. C. A. Swanson, LtCol, USMCR (Ret.), Assistant Professor of International Relations, 

Ph.D., Univ of Maryland, College Park; M.A., Univ of San Diego; A.B., Univ of CA, Berkeley

Maj T. L. Talovich, USMC, CH-53E Pilot, M.S., Naval Postgraduate School; B.S., University 

of Idaho

LtCol J. D. Walker, USMC, Artillery Officer, Master of Strategic Studies, Marine Corps War 

College; B.S., University of Mississippi

LtCol J. H. Wheeler, USMC, Intelligence Officer, Master of Strategic Studies, Marine Corps 

War College; M.M.S., USMC Command and Staff College, MCU; B.A., Loyola University of 

Chicago
19

STAFF

Mrs. L. G. Rohler, Registrar, B.S., George Mason University

Mr. R. M. Burt, Visual Information Specialist

Mrs. A. P. Judge, Administrative Support Assistant

Ms. C. Parker, Academic Records Administrator

Mrs. S. Y. Hicks, Office Automation Clerk

SUPPORT PERSONNEL

GySgt H. E. Walden, Admin Chief

YN1 K. F. LaFountaine, USN

Sgt R. Caballero

Sgt D. Cesar

ET2 Z. K. Cook, USN

Sgt J. A. Pick

IT2 J. L. Telford, USN

Cpl C. M. Chadwick

Cpl D.C. Jesson
20

Adjunct Faculty

The Adjunct Faculty have earned doctorates, or have extensive civilian experience, in relevant 

academic fields, whereby the College benefits from their mastery of particular disciplines. Their 

areas of expertise include: military history, national security affairs, defense economics, policy 

analysis and theory, accounting, intelligence, law, special operations, Eastern Asia area studies, 

European and American history (post WW I), and nuclear physics. Students are strongly 

encouraged to take advantage of every opportunity to learn from this unique group of Marine 

officers and civilian experts.

Military

Col Charles L. Dundas, USMCR, Retired. M.A., Marshall University; B.A., Marshall 

University

Col Jon T. Hoffman, USMCR. J.D., Duke Law School; M.A., Ohio State University; B.A., 

Miami University

LtCol William F. Stringer, USMC, Retired, B.S., U. S. Air Force Academy

Col Kenneth D. Watts, USMCR. M.S.E.E., Florida Institute of Technology; B.S.E.E., NPGS

Civilian

Dr. Christopher Bassford. Ph.D., Purdue University; M.A., Ohio University; B.A., College of 

William and Mary

Dr. Louis J. Cantori. Ph.D. & M.A., University of Chicago; B.A., University of Massachusetts

Dr. A. James Gregor. Ph.D., Columbia University; M.A., Columbia University; B.A., 

Columbia University

Dr. Allan R. Millett. Ph.D., The Ohio State University; M.A., The Ohio State University; B.A. 

DePauw University

Dr. Williamson Murray. Ph.D., Yale University; M.A., Yale University; B.A., Yale University

Dr. Carol Reardon. Ph.D., University of Kentucky; M.A., University of South Carolina; B.S., 

Allegheny College

Prominent Faculty and Student Alumni

LT Walter Ansel, USN: student, 1930-31; faculty, 1931-33; assisted in early draft of 

amphibious warfare doctrine, especially Naval Gunfire.

Major Charles Barrett, various times in the 1930’s; developed amphibious warfare doctrine; 

CG, I Marine Amphibious Corps in World War II.

Col (BrigGen & MajGen) J. C. Breckinridge, Commandant, Marine Corps Schools (twice) 

and as Commanding General, Marine Barracks, Quantico.
21

Major Clifton Cates, student, 1934-35; Commandant of the Marine Corps.

LtCol Edward Craig, student, 1937-38; CG, 1st Marine Brigade, Pusan Perimeter.

Col Ben Fuller, staff, 1922-23; Commandant of the Marine Corps, 1930-34.

Major Roy Geiger, faculty, 1927-28; CG, III Marine Amphibious Corps and 10th Army, 

Okinawa.

LtCol O. P. Smith, faculty, 1936-38; CG, 1st MarDiv, Chosin Reservoir, Korea.

Major Harry Liversedge, student, 1935-36; Commanding Officer of Raiders and reconstituted 

4th Marines, WWII. 

Capt Keller Rockey, student, 1922-23; CG, 5th MarDiv and V Marine Amphibious Corps, WW 

II.

Capt Harry Schmidt, student, 1922-23; CG, 4th MarDiv and V Marine Amphibious Corps, 

WW II.

Major H. M. (Howling Mad) Smith, student, 1926-27; CG, V Marine Amphibious Corps and 

Fleet Marine Forces Pacific, WW II. 

Major Julian Smith, student, 1928-29; Commanding General, 2d Marine Division, WW II.

Major Gerald Thomas, student, 1933-34; key player in post-WW II roles and missions fight.

Major A. A. Vandegrift, student, 1925-26; CG, 1st Marine Division at Guadalcanal, for which 

he won the Medal of Honor. Later, Commandant of the Marine Corps during and after WW II.

Contemporary (USMC General/LtGeneral, Retired)

Lieutenant General R. P. Ayres, Jr. (Ret), CSC 1981/82, former Commander, U. S. Marine 

Forces Atlantic/Europe/South

General Carlton W. Fulford, Jr. (Ret), former Deputy Commander in Chief, European 

Command

General A. M. Gray (Ret.), former Commandant of the Marine Corps

Lieutenant General B. B. Knutson, Jr. (Ret.), CSC 1982/83, former Commanding General, 

Marine Corps Combat Development Command

Lieutenant General F. Libutti (Ret), CSC 1980/81, former Commander, Marine Corps Forces 

Pacific 

Lieutenant General F. McCorkle (Ret.), CSC 1979/80, former Deputy Commandant for 

Aviation

Lieutenant General G. S. McKissock (Ret.), CSC 1979/80, former Deputy Commandant for 

Installations and Logistics

General C. Mundy, Jr. (Ret.), former Commandant of the Marine Corps
22

Lieutenant General C. A. Mutter, (Ret.), former Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower & 

Reserve Affairs

Lieutenant General G. S. Newbold (Ret), CSC 1982/83, former Director for Operations (J-3), 

Joint Staff

Lieutenant General P. K. Van Riper (Ret.), former director of Command and Staff College 

and first President of Marine Corps University

General M. J. Williams (Ret), CSC 1978/79, former Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps

General A. C. Zinni (Ret.), former student, faculty, and Commander-in-Chief, U. S. Central 

Command

Current USMC General Officers

Brigadier General (S) J. R. Allen, CSC 1992/93

Major General J. R. Battaglini, CSC 1985/86

Brigadier General T. A. Benes, CSC 1986/87

Lieutenant General M. R. Berndt, CSC 1983/84

Major General R. R. Blackman, Jr., CSC 1984/85 and former President, Marine Corps Univ. 

Major General W. G. Bowdon III, CSC 1982/83

Brigadier General W. D. Catto, CSC 1986/87

Brigadier General R. S. Coleman, CSC 1987/88

Brigadier General J. Composto, CSC 1985/86

Lieutenant General J. T. Conway, CSC 1982/83 and former President, Marine Corps Univ.

Major General C. Cortez, CSC 1984/85

Brigadier General T. L. Corwin, CSC 1987/88

Brigadier General C. B. Cowdrey, CSC 1985/86

Major General T. E. Donovan, CSC 1987/88 and former Dean of Academics

Major General A. Fields, CSC 1982/83

Major General R. M. Flanagan, CSC 1983/84

Major General E. N. Gardner, Jr., CSC 1985/86

Brigadier General T. F. Ghormley, CSC 1985/86

Brigadier General K.J. Glueck, Jr., CSC 1987/88

Major General J. F. Goodman, CSC 1982/83 and former Head, SAW

Lieutenant General W. C. Gregson, CSC 1980/81
23

General M. W. Hagee, CSC 1981/82

Lieutenant General E. Hanlon, Jr., CSC 1980/81

Brigadier General D. J. Hejlik, CSC 1989/90

Brigadier General S. T. Helland, CSC 1986/87

Major General J. C. Huly, CSC 1984/85

Major General T. S. Jones, CSC 1983/84

Lieutenant General R. L. Kelly, CSC 1984/85

Brigadier General R. S. Kramlich, CSC 1987/88

Major General B. M. Lott, CSC 1985/86

Lieutenant General R. Magnus, CSC 1984/85

Major General J. N. Mattis, CSC 1984/85

Brigadier General J. C. McAbee, CSC 1981/82

Brigadier General J. J. McMenamin, CSC 1989/90

Brigadier General (S) J. V. Medina, CSC 1991/92

Major General G. C. Nash, CSC 1985/86

Brigadier General R. F. Natonski, CSC 1987/88

Brigadier General R. B. Neller, CSC 1990/91

General P. Pace, CSC 1979/80 and former President, Marine Corps University

Brigadier General F. A. Panter, CSC 1989/90

Lieutenant General G. L. Parks, CSC 1981/82

Brigadier General J. M. Paxton, Jr., CSC 1988/89

Brigadier General M. Robeson, CSC 1989/90

Major General J. F. Sattler, CSC 1985/86

Brigadier General (S) R. E. Schmidle, CSC 1991/92

Major General R. M. Shea, CSC 1982/83

Major General K. J. Stalder, CSC 1984/85

Brigadier General J. R. Thomas, CSC 1988/89

Brigadier General E. G. Usher, CSC 1986/87

Brigadier General (S) T. D. Waldhauser, CSC 1991/92
24

International Military Officer Graduates Who 

Attained Flag Officer Rank

MajGen Henry Ahnyidoho, Ghanan Army, CSC 1979/80

RADM Ammar M. Al-Qahtani, Commander, Saudi Arabia Security Forces, CSC 1982/83

MajGen Gabi Ashkenazy, Israel, Commanding General, Northern Cmd, CSC 1983/84

General Sardadi Baroto, Indonesia, former Commandant of the Marine Corps, CSC 1976/77

General Rudy Biazon, former Commandant, Philippine Marine Corps; Chief of Staff of the 

Philippine Armed Forces, and Senator in the Philippine Senate, CSC 1975/76

General Domingos de Mattos Cortez, Brazil, former Commandant of the Marine Corps, CSC 

1964/65

LtGen Peter J. Cosgrove, Australia, Chief of the Australian Defense Force, CSC 1978/79

General Carlos Augusto Costa, Brazil, former Commandant, Brazilian Marine Corps, CSC 

1980/81

MajGen Romeo Dallaire, OMM, MSC, CD, Deputy Commander, Canadian Land Forces, CSC 

1980/81

MajGen Pedro Diaz Fernandez, Spain, former Commandant of the Marine Corps, CSC 

1974/75

General Sigurd Frisvold, Norwegian Chief of Defence (CHOD Norway), CSC 1985/86

MajGen Jesus M. Costa Furia, Spain, former Commandant of the Marine Corps, CSC 1971/72

MajGen Francisco M. Galinsoga, Spain, former Commandant of the Marine Corps, CSC 

1955/56

General Yves M.C. Goncalves, Brazil, former Commandant of the Marine Corps, CSC 1959/60

LtGen Goran Klas Gunnarsson, Sweden, Director General, Training and Management 

Directorate, Swedish Armed Forces HQ, CSC 1991/92

Brigadier Anthony W. Hammett, Australia, CSC 1975/76 (Retired in 1989, killed in an 

airplane crash in July 1990. Hammett Writing Award presented in his honor by the CSC Class 

of 1976.)

LtGen Lee Kap Jin, Republic of Korea, former Commandant of the Marine Corps, CSC 

1980/81

LtGen Kim In Sik, Republic of Korea, Commandant of the Marine Corps, CSC 1985/86

LtGen Shaul Mofaz: Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces, CSC 1982/83

General Jose Luis Munoz, Mexico, former Commandant of the Marine Corps, CSC 1977/78

VADM Victor K. Ombu, Nigeria, former Chief of Naval Staff, CSC 1981/82

MajGen Jose M. Estevez Ons, Spain, former Commandant of the Marine Corps, CSC 1975/76
25

MajGen Lars Goran Perrssons, Sweden, Commandant, Swedish Coast Artillery, CSC 1973/74

RADM Chandarawongse Praphon, Thailand, Deputy Commandant of the Royal Thai Marine 

Corps, CSC 1986/87

Brigadier Paul B. Retter, Australia, CSC 1988/89

MajGen Jose Rincon, Spain, former Commandant of the Marine Corps, CSC 1965/66

MajGen Octavio Alaez Rodriguez, Spain, former Commandant of the Marine Corps, CSC 

1974/75

LtGen Amnon L. Shahak, former Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces, CSC 1975/76

BGen Yeoshue Shichrur, Israel, Deputy Commander, Northern Cmd, CSC 1987/88

General Roy Spiekerman, Commandant of the Dutch Marine Corps, CSC 1978/79

MajGen Nehemia Tamari, Israel, CG, Northern Command, CSC 1980/81 (killed in a helicopter 

crash in 1994)

General, Hugo A. Unda, Ecuador, Commanding General, Navy, CSC 1978/79

RADM Dumrongcharern Virat, Thailand, Deputy Commandant of the Royal Thai Marine 

Corps, CSC 1985/86

MajGen Miguel Yaguez, Spain, former Commandant of the Marine Corps, CSC 1959/60

BGen Giora Zorea, Israel, former Head of Intelligence Operations, CSC 1976/77
26

(This Page Intentionally Left Blank)
Chapter Three

~College Policy~

29

Academic Policy

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Admission to the Marine Corps Command and Staff College is by voluntary monitor assignment 

or military board selection for United States military officers, by invitation for foreign military 

officers, and by nomination by the sponsoring agency for civilian Federal Government 

employees. All inquiries regarding admission should be directed to:

Director

Command and Staff College

Marine Corps University

2076 South Street

Quantico, Virginia 22134-5068

Phone: (703) 784-1120 or DSN 278-1120

FAX: (703) 784-2628

Eligibility prerequisites for the Command and Staff College are those regulations and 

requirements established by the military services for selection to attend an intermediate-level, 

graduate, professional military education institution; examples include a bachelors degree and 

prior completion of an appropriate career level school (for USMC). Prerequisites also include 

grade and time-on-station guidelines as directed by each individual service, a security clearance 

at the secret level for all U. S. students, selection of those officers best and fully qualified for 

future service and increased responsibility, and whose attendance will most benefit the individual 

and the service. Since selection for a resident intermediate-level college education is limited to 

approximately 20-25% of the officer population at the rank of major each year, it is expected that 

each officer selected will have demonstrated an ability to perform well in an academic 

environment and will have demonstrated leadership, skill, and resourcefulness in difficult and 

challenging assignments.

ADMISSIONS

School seats are based on allocations granted by the Commandant of the Marine Corps which 

support the mission/purpose of the College and reflect the requirements of the United States 

Marine Corps; the joint/multinational education criteria of the Officer Professional Military 

Education Policy Document for other U. S. military students; the Department of Defense and 

Department of State agreements on foreign military student education exchange programs; and 

inter-agency agreements with other Federal Government agencies. Quotas for admission to the 

Command and Staff College are distributed as follows:
30

 U. S. Marine Corps Officers/Reserves 99

 U. S. Navy and Coast Guard Officers 25 

 U. S. Army, Army Reserve and Army National Guard Officers 14 

 U. S. Air Force Officers & Air National Guard 14

 Foreign Military Officers 26 

 Civilians, U. S. Federal Government 12 

TOTAL 190 

Increases in allocations on a one-time basis can be approved by the President, Marine Corps 

University. Permanent changes to this allocation must be approved by the Commandant of the 

Marine Corps.

NOMINATING PROCEDURES/DEADLINES

Student nominations for the Command and Staff College are processed in the following manner:

 U. S. military student nominations are processed by the responsible military manpower 

department which screens all eligible officers in accordance with their regulations for 

intermediate-level school selection. They must provide the Command and Staff College with a 

roster of officers’ names by 1 March for the succeeding academic year which begins in August.

 Foreign military student nominations are provided by those countries invited to participate in a 

professional military officer education exchange program sponsored by the Department of 

Defense and managed by the Department of State. This program includes not only attendance 

at the Command and Staff College, but also participation in an American Culture Information 

Program for which special lectures, trips and social activities are scheduled throughout the 

academic year. Background on students nominated under this program must be submitted to 

the College by 1 July for the succeeding academic year which begins in August.

 Civilian, U. S. Federal Government employee nominations are to be processed by the 

nominating agency’s training office with a letter providing background information on the 

individuals forwarded to the Director, Command and Staff College, for final review and 

approval. Nomination letters must be received by 1 March for the succeeding academic year 

which begins in August.

ACADEMIC FREEDOM

Military Education policy ascribes to establishing academic freedom policy “that fosters and 

properly encourages thorough and lively academic debate and examination of appropriate 

curriculum issues.” Academic freedom for our faculty and students is fundamental and essential 

to the health of the academic institution. Academic freedom is intertwined in the uninhibited 

search for insight and knowledge; its absence would suggest leadership closed to thought and 

ideas from an echelon of evolving leaders.
31

The time-honored tradition of free speech carries with it profound individual responsibility as 

well. Academic integrity requires that each of us who writes for publication pursues factual 

accuracy and safeguards classified information. 

The powerful amalgam of academic freedom and individual responsibility contributes to the 

institutional integrity of the University and includes the following principal elements:

 Freedom to teach, conduct research, and publish research findings.

 Freedom to discuss in a classroom any material or ideas relevant to the subject matter, as 

provided in the course objectives.

 Freedom to seek changes in academic and institutional policies.

 Responsibility to pursue excellence, intellectual honesty, and objectivity in teaching.

 Responsibility to encourage faculty, students, and colleagues to engage in free discussion and 

inquiry.

 Responsibility to encourage and nurture innovative critical thinking, discussion, and writing 

concerning national security issues and the enhancement of the standing and credibility of 

professional military education. 

RULES OF CONDUCT

In keeping with the Core Values of the Marine Corps of Honor, Courage, and Commitment, 

students will accomplish their assigned duties with integrity, responsibility, and individual 

accountability. Students will conduct themselves as professional military officers at all times. 

ATTRIBUTION

One of the principal benefits of attendance at the resident College course is the opportunity to 

engage current policymakers in meaningful dialogue. The informal atmosphere of the 

auditorium forum or seminar discussion allows both students and guests to freely speak their 

minds on a variety of issues. Underpinning this freedom is the ability to express views without 

fear of attribution. The policy of the Command and Staff College is that views expressed in 

lectures or in seminar discussion are, unless otherwise specified, not for attribution. This 

policy is applicable to all resident and nonresident schools of the Command and Staff College.

ACADEMIC ETHICS 

Professional ethics is of paramount importance to the Marine Corps Command and Staff College. 

Work presented by students, staff, and faculty as their own, must be their own. To do otherwise 

results in unfair advantage and is inconsistent with professional ethics and integrity. Academic 

ethics as it relates to staff, faculty, and students and their duties at the Command and Staff 

College is defined as follows:
32

The application of ethical principles in an academic environment; giving and 

receiving only authorized assistance; and conducting legitimate research and 

properly attributing credit to sources of information.

This statement and the following amplifications are intended to assist the vast majority who want 

to do the right thing and thereby experience a more productive learning environment. 

This policy is not intended to be a vehicle to incriminate those who might be inclined to violate 

professional standards. Officers may be technically guilty of plagiarism and subject to the full 

penalties for it, even though they have the best intentions, if they do not document the sources of 

their information properly.

Requirements to maintain the highest professional standards apply to all members of the resident 

and nonresident College community, to include faculty, staff, and students. Faculty and students 

are expected to do honest research and, when they publish for personal recognition, to attribute 

credit to those from whose work they borrow.

Copyright laws are specific and demanding. All personnel must honor them and not be lured 

into insensitivity by the ease of photocopying, tape duplication, and other technologies.

PLAGIARISM

When a writer uses ideas or wording that are not his/her own but presents 

them as if they were, he/she has committed plagiarism.

The word plagiarism derives from Latin roots: plagiarius, an abductor, and plagiare, to steal. 

The use of another author’s text and the presentation of it as one’s own—with or without the 

original author’s approval—constitutes plagiarism. The following applies to plagiarism and other 

misuses: 

 Plagiarism is a serious violation of the ethics of scholarship and constitutes serious 

misconduct for a military officer or government employee. It undermines the credibility of 

scholarly inquiry and professional military writing. Detection can, therefore, result not only 

in academic sanctions (such as dismissal from a graduate program, termination of a faculty 

contract, denial of promotion), but also civil action and, under certain circumstances, 

criminal prosecution. Identification as a plagiarist is extremely destructive to one’s 

professional career and personal reputation.

 The misuse of the writings of another author, even when one does not borrow the exact 

wording, can be as unfair, as unethical, and as unprofessional as outright plagiarism. Such 

misuse includes the limited borrowing, without attribution, of another writer’s distinctive and 

significant research findings, hypotheses, theories, rhetorical strategies or interpretations, or 

an extended borrowing even with attribution. 

 Both plagiarism and the misuse of the findings and interpretations of other scholars take 

many forms. The clearest abuse is the presentation of another writer’s work as one’s own, or 
33

use of another’s language without quotation marks and note citation. More subtle abuses 

include the appropriation of concepts, data, or notes all disguised in newly crafted sentences, 

or reference to a borrowed work in an early note and then extensive further use without 

attribution. All such tactics reflect an unworthy disregard for the contribution of others. 

 Commonly, plagiarism takes one of two forms: (1) appropriation of either whole papers or 

merely exact phrasing from another source, without quotation marks or footnote attribution; 

or (2) more subtly, the presentation of other writers’ unique ideas, which derive from 

previously published works but which are not acknowledged to come from those sources.

 A less frequent, but equally unethical, form of plagiarism is submission of the same paper as 

original work to satisfy the requirements of more than one course.

The officer’s paper should consist primarily of the officer’s own thoughts and words, expressed 

in his own phrasing. Officer’s work must never become a paste-up job of quotations and 

paraphrases from the work of others. When the officer borrows too liberally from another’s 

work (even when faithfully acknowledged), he/she has failed to comply with the terms of the 

assignment. Such work is unacceptable at the Command and Staff College. 

ACADEMIC RECORDS

Students’ academic records are intended to serve as a complete history of their academic career 

at the Command and Staff College. As such, they cannot be altered except in accordance with 

institutional policy.

ACADEMIC RECORD DISCLOSURE. The College complies with the Family Educational 

Rights and Privacy Act, 1974 (the Buckley Amendment). Thus, the College will (1) permit 

students to inspect their educational records, (2) disclose academic records to non-College 

personnel only upon written consent of the student, and (3) provide students the opportunity to 

seek correction of their educational records where appropriate.

TRANSCRIPT REQUESTS. Students who desire to receive a copy of their academic record, or 

have it sent to an agency external to the College, must request these services in writing to the 

Director, Command and Staff College, (Attn: Registrar), Marine Corps University, 2076 South 

Street, Quantico, VA 22134-5068. This request must contain the student’s name during attendance 

at the College, social security number, dates of attendance, the recipient of the academic record, and 

the student’s signature and duty phone number. Transcripts may not be transferred to a third party 

without the student’s written authorization. No academic record can be released without a signed, 

written request. There is no charge for a transcript. The College will accept faxed documents as 

working documents only. Students must follow up with official, original documentation. It is NOT

the policy of the College to fax transcripts or other academic documents.

COMPUTER USE POLICY

The Marine Corps, the University and the College have established regulations regarding 

computer resources. These regulations define computer violations and actions taken when a 

violation is confirmed. College computer resources are restricted to use for research, 

instructional support, and administrative purposes. Unauthorized access, including illegal use of 
34

passwords, is prohibited. Also prohibited is use of legal access for unauthorized purposes, such 

as tampering with or destroying files, soliciting, harassing, or Internet access for other than 

official business. Illegal use or copying of licensed software or student files is also an offense.

ACCEPTABLE USE OF COMPUTERS

This policy applies to all of the Command and Staff College community including students, 

faculty, administrators, staff, contract employees, and those who may be granted a guest 

computer account on a request basis by a system administrator. For purposes of this policy, 

computer systems include all computers and software owned by the College, any 

communications hardware and software provided by the College for the purpose of accessing its 

computers, and any computer network governed in part or whole by the university.

Computer systems at the College support students, faculty, and staff as they carry out the 

educational mission of the university. The College encourages and promotes uses of computing 

and network resources in keeping with this mission. Computing activities not supporting 

instruction, research, or administration are subject to regulation and restriction to ensure they do 

not interfere with this legitimate work.

Access to any College computer system is provided with the understanding the recipient is 

personally responsible for proper use of the resources, thereby respecting the work of others. 

The only way to ensure limited resources are utilized fairly and privacy is protected is to rely on 

the integrity of each computer user. Improper use of computer or network resources is not 

acceptable.

Examples of improper computer use include (but are not limited to): 

 Using government information systems to transmit or receive pornography, chain letters, 

unofficial advertising, improper disclosure of classified information, or any other unofficial 

personal business (e.g., stock reports, sports scores, etc.). (MCBBul 5230)

 Attempting to access or accessing data without explicit permission from the owner.

 Violating software license agreements, copyrights, or intellectual property rights. This 

includes copying software without permission from the copyright holder or continuing to 

operate software for which the license has expired. 

 Using or attempting to use the computer to harass, threaten, or abuse others or to transmit 

obscene or fraudulent messages.

 Tampering with, stealing, disabling, or destroying College hardware or software, or 

attempting to do any of these.

The College is committed to promoting ethical and responsible use of computer and network 

resources, and will not tolerate their misuse. Improper use may lead to one or more of the 

following consequences:
35

 Loss of access privileges,

 Requirement to reimburse the government for misappropriated computer or network 

resources, or

 Disciplinary action – administrative or judicial.

DISCRIMINATION, SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND EQUAL 

OPPORTUNITY

The Command and Staff College will provide equal opportunity for all military members and 

civilian employees and students, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age or national origin, 

consistent with the law, regulations and requirements for physical and mental abilities. The 

achievement and maintenance of this goal is integral to the full development of esprit de corps, pride 

and individual preparedness which are essential to combat readiness. The College adheres to 

policies as set forth in SECNAVINST 5300.26, Department of the Navy Policy on Sexual 

Harassment; MCO 1000.9, Sexual Harassment; ALMAR 090/96, Discrimination and Sexual 

Harassment Reporting Procedures; and MCO P5354.1x, Marine Corps Equal Opportunity Manual.

ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS

WEAPONS. The possession and use of weapons aboard the base are governed by MCBO 

8000.1. Weapons must be registered with vehicle registration aboard base and firearms are not 

authorized for personal carry aboard base unless in a duty status. Visitors, faculty, and students 

should familiarize themselves with the content of this order prior to carrying/transporting 

weapons aboard the base. 

PARKING. Reserved Faculty parking is published in a Command and Staff College Bulletin at 

the beginning of each school year. Distinguished visitors parking will normally be in close 

proximity to the building where the lecture/meeting is scheduled to occur and will be marked 

with a sign containing the visitor’s name. Student and visitor parking is in the parking lot 

directly in front of the Marine Corps Research Center. 

SMOKING. In accordance with MCBO 5353.1, areas have been designated outside the 

building for smoking.
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Chapter Four

~Curriculum~

39

Curriculum

OVERVIEW 

Based on this mission statement the intent of the curriculum is to: 

 Provide a challenging and supportive academic environment where officers may mature 

professionally and intellectually.

 Offer a curriculum of graduate-level rigor to educate officers in the relationships between, 

and the complexities associated with the strategic, operational and tactical levels of war.

 Apply Marine Air-Ground Task Force doctrine and techniques in a joint/multinational 

environment so as to improve our ability to out-think and out-fight any opponent.

 Assess the unique responsibilities inherent in command while developing command 

philosophies that address the extraordinary character of military leadership.

The focus of the curriculum is the development of an officer who understands the capabilities 

and potential roles of the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) at the operational level of 

war and how to best task organize, deploy, and employ these forces in any tactical environment 

across the spectrum of conflict.

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES 

The educational objectives of the College are to:

 Analyze the theory and nature of war and their relationship to the application of the elements 

of national power. 

 Think strategically and explore the relationship between national political interests and goals, 

and the utility of military power supporting those goals.

 Analyze strategic guidance and translate it into operational direction in the form of a 

campaign plan designed to accomplish military objectives.

 The Command and Staff College provides intermediate and advanced-intermediate 

professional military education to field grade officers of the Marine Corps, other 

services, and foreign countries to prepare them for command and staff duties with 

Marine Air-Ground Task Forces (MAGTFs) and for assignment with joint, 

multinational, and high-level service organizations.
40

 Assess the relationship between the operational and the tactical levels of war and to 

orchestrate tactical battles and engagements as a part of campaigns designed to create 

military conditions accomplishing strategic goals.

 Plan and execute the employment of MAGTF’s anywhere along the spectrum of conflict and 

articulate the capabilities of MAGTF’s within the joint/multinational environment with 

primary focus at the Marine Expeditionary Force level.

 Instill the ability to critically analyze war and apply sound military judgment in an academic 

environment as well as when called upon to do so in war.

METHODOLOGY

Since the goal of professional military education is to develop officers who can employ 

innovative thinking when confronted with changing situations, it is imperative the College 

provide a learning environment that encourages officers to cast a critical eye on traditional or 

accepted concepts. Such an environment requires an educational setting that demands active 

student participation to the greatest extent possible.

The primary instructional methodology for the Command and Staff College curriculum is the 

seminar/guided discussion conducted by the Faculty Advisor Team in the conference group 

setting. This methodology fosters a learning environment which encourages active and 

thoughtful participation on the part of each student.

A key element to the success of the seminar discussions is scheduled professional study and 

preparation time (PSPT). These periods are incorporated into the regular schedule to provide 

officers the opportunity to read, write, reflect, and conduct required research during normal 

school hours. PSPT supplements, rather than replaces, study and research conducted after 

normal working hours.

Other instructional methodologies employed in support of the curriculum include historical case 

studies, practical application planning and decision exercises, battlefield staff rides, presentations 

by faculty and guest lecturers, and tutorial sessions between students and faculty members.

Integrated within the curriculum is the College’s emphasis on improving communication skills. 

The purpose of this effort is to build the student’s ability to communicate effectively--both orally 

and in writing. Through a series of requirements, including a variety of oral presentations, “point 

papers,” analytical essays, and more traditional research-based efforts, officers improve their 

speaking and writing skills as well as their ability to critique and refine their own work.

CURRICULUM DESCRIPTION

The first semester is entitled THE ART & SCIENCE OF WAR and includes the Theory and 

Nature of War, Strategy and Policy, Art of Command, and Operational Level of War courses.
41

The Theory and Nature of War course opens the academic year and our first semester on the 

art and science of war. It is a course on aspects of military theory, military history, and military 

affairs of the present. The course concentrates on, but is not limited to, the modern Western 

world. Classes generally follow a chronological path, but we make a few digressions. Most 

notably, instead of beginning with Thucydides’ history of the Peloponnesian War, we use this 

classic at the end, as a bridge to the next Fall course called Strategy and Policy. The book is 

profoundly useful for service in both capacities. The educational objectives of the course are to:

 Consider the enduring nature of all war, and explore the ways it is always enmeshed with 

politics, will, passion, uncertainty, chance, and interaction with the enemy. 

 Appraise the forces and factors—social, political, ideological, moral, economic, and 

technological—that cause a given war, shape its particular character, bring about its end, and 

determine its historical impact. 

 Explore theoretical concepts that military historians, analysts, and practitioners have found 

valuable over the years in comprehending, analyzing and evaluating the events and trends of 

military affairs.

 Gain a solid grounding in military history. 

The Strategy and Policy course explores the principal issues surrounding and informing 

strategic thinking and decision-making as they contribute to achieving national security 

objectives. The emphasis of this course is on the thoughtful integration of theory and evidence 

and the development of critical analytical skills. The overarching goal is to educate you, the 

Command and Staff College student, about the nature of strategy and policy and their impact on 

the operational level of war in order to prepare you for any future role in making, analyzing, or 

executing military strategy. This course provides no more than an introduction to these vast 

subjects; therefore, along with the rest of the curriculum, it seeks not only to offer a broad 

overview of the relevant theories and evidence, but also, and more importantly, to help provide 

you with the analytical skills required to continue this educational process in subsequent courses 

in the curriculum, and, ultimately, beyond the confines of Marine Corps University. The 

educational objectives are to:

 Sharpen the students ability to think strategically. 

 Enable the students to think critically about strategy throughout their military career and 

develop their own and analyze others’ theories and assertions about the political effectiveness 

of military force.

 Introduce the wide variety of factors that influence the formulation and outcome of national 

strategies.

 Explore the interplay of these factors.

 Examine the process by which strategic decisions are made.
42

 Analyze the strategic choices made by past decision-makers.

 Evaluate those choices in terms of their success or failure.

 Employ the framework provided to assess the current strategic landscape.

The Operational Level of War course studies operational warfare and campaigning. It seeks to 

integrate the previous study of theory, doctrine, and strategy and to improve a student’s ability 

to draw operational insights from any situation and exercise sound judgment in order to achieve 

success on the battlefield. The course opens with presentations and seminars on campaigning 

and the operational level of war providing a format for analysis. Analysis is then applied to 

various case studies which are supported by selected readings, lectures, seminars and the 

requirement to write a research paper on a joint campaign. The final component of the course 

focuses on contemporary warfighting philosophies and operational application. The educational 

objectives are to:

 Analyze the operational level of war in relation to the strategic and tactical levels of war and 

the responsibilities of the operational commander. 

 Evaluate theory, doctrine, operational functions and concepts, and principles of the 

operational level of war through historical case studies. 

 Interpret service and joint warfighting philosophies as they relate to the systems, agencies, 

and command relationships involved in the conduct of operational planning and execution. 

The second semester is titled Warfighting...From the Sea and includes Warfighting, the Final 

Exercise, and Military Operations Other Than War.

The goal of this course is to educate students in the composition, functioning, and planning 

methodologies of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) with emphasis on: the Marine 

Corps Planning Process; offensive and defensive operations; current joint expeditionary and 

landing force doctrine; and the requirements of joint and multinational operations. The 

methodology used to achieve these goals is a combination of self-study, lecture, seminar, and 

practical application exercises in planning MAGTF operations within the context of a joint 

campaign plan. Additionally, this course enables students to appreciate the MAGTF as a 

dynamic and flexible organization that derives its strength and potential from the synergistic 

relationships of its elements. At its conclusion, students will be able to:

 Comprehend the internal structure, functioning, capabilities, and limitations of all four 

elements of the MAGTF.

 Comprehend the MAGTF command and control system as it functions internally and externally. 

 Explain how the MAGTF connects with joint and multinational C4I

2 systems and its 

relationship to doctrine for targeting and airspace management. 
43

 Understand the concepts used by the MAGTF commander to employ aviation. 

 Examine MAGTF combat service support (CSS) planning considerations in support of joint 

operations. 

 Comprehend how the MAGTF commander sees and shapes battlespace employing the single 

battle concept. 

 Comprehend the Marine Corps Planning Process and apply it in joint and multinational 

operational scenarios. 

 Analyze the intelligence preparation of the battlespace (IPB) process and demonstrate an 

understanding of its relationship to operational planning. 

 Understand the roles, missions, capabilities, limitations, and employment of the MAGTF in 

offensive and defensive operations. 

 Understand the roles, missions, capabilities, limitations, and employment of the MAGTF in

expeditionary operations. 

 Comprehend how current Marine Corps doctrine for expeditionary, offensive, and defensive 

operations affects the other Services in joint and multinational operations. 

 Evaluate the roles, missions, capabilities, limitations and employment of the MAGTF in joint 

and multinational operations. 

 Comprehend the roles, functions, capabilities, and limitations of U. S. military forces and 

apply them in joint and multinational operational scenarios. 

 Understand the roles, missions, capabilities and limitations of Special Operation Forces (SOF) 

in the joint and multinational environment and their relationship to deployed MAGTF units.

 Comprehend the asymmetric threat at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels of war and 

the Department of Defense (DOD) role in consequence management and homeland defense.

 Understand the current and emerging anti-access threats as they relate to U. S. force 

projection capabilities and specifically to MAGTF expeditionary operations.

 Understand the Total Force concept and the capabilities the Reserve and Guard forces bring 

to the joint fight.

 Understand the tenets of cultural intelligence and the critical role it plays in joint and 

MAGTF planning and execution.

 Comprehend the emerging Information Operations (IO) capabilities and limitations that face 

the MAGTF planner in the joint and multinational environment.
44

The Exercise OPEN ACCESS serves as the culmination of the Warfighting portion of the 

curriculum and as an evaluation mechanism for both the faculty and the students. The vehicle 

for this exercise is a force-on-force, computer assisted, JTF-level Command Post Exercise 

(CPX). The exercise uses a current, realistic scenario wherein a national strategy, campaign 

plan, and supporting plans provide for deployment and employment of a JTF. The faculty 

evaluates virtually all aspects of the instruction presented to the students during the academic 

year. Each officer participates in an assigned billet in a JTF, Service or functional component, or 

multinational headquarters. The overall objective is to exercise and evaluate the students’ ability 

to: develop a campaign plan for a multinational/joint force; write the necessary supporting plans; 

conduct an amphibious assault in support of expeditionary operations; and prosecute combat 

operations ashore to support the Joint Task Force mission. 

The Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW) course begins with a two-day block of 

instruction exploring the classic texts of small wars: Clausewitz, Jomini, C. E. Callwell, and the 

USMC Small Wars Manual. The course then proceeds to deal with a series of case studies 

involving modern armies and internal insurrections. The course devotes an instructional block (a 

day of lecture or film and a seminar) to the British experience in Malaya, the French experience 

in Algeria, the American experience in Vietnam, the British experience in Northern Ireland, and 

the UN experience in Somalia. Each of these case studies embraces a range of MOOTW 

missions and complex social conflicts that proved difficult for armies to address. Each 

experience gave rise to a body of writings that sought to codify what the military had learned. 

Taken collectively, these case studies and the writings they generated have shaped contemporary 

American MOOTW doctrine. The course terminates with a discussion of the ongoing “war 

against terrorism,” the military operations against the transnational terrorist organization alQaeda and the problems of homeland defense associated with such threats. At course end, 

students will be able to:

 Analyze the development of contemporary thinking on MOOTW and its impact on 

Command and Staff students.

 Understand the role of tribal, religious, social, and ethnic conflicts in MOOTW.

 Evaluate the effectiveness of joint and multinational forces in UN peace operations.

 Comprehend the experience of modern armies in Small Wars and determine how these 

conflicts affected modern MOOTW strategy and doctrine.

 Analyze the Marine Corps’ theory of Warfighting in unconventional combat.

 Comprehend the interaction among strategy, operations and doctrine in MOOTW, as 

opposed to conventional mid-and high-intensity conflicts.

A core course that underpins the “command” aspect of the College’s curriculum is Art of 

Command (AOC). The AOC course is designed to examine and impart the critical aspects of 

military leadership, ethics, and Core Values. These topics serve as enduring themes throughout 

the CSC curriculum. To support this concept, the Art of Command (AOC) is scheduled in nine 
45

blocks, ranging from one to five days, spanning the academic year. Some of the AOC blocks 

directly support and complement the instruction presented in the other core courses by building 

on the topics being studied, but with a focus on leadership and ethical decision making. Other 

blocks are presented as discrete packages which focus on topics such as combat leadership, 

contemporary leadership challenges, and topical policy issues that confront military leaders. The 

Art of Command blocks are: Chancellorsville; Law of War and the Just War Theory; CivilMilitary Relations; Gettysburg: A Study In Command; Military Leadership at the Tactical Level; 

Commander and Organizational Culture; Media Operations; Military Leadership at the 

Operational Level; and Military Leadership in Military Operations Other Than War.

Media Operations (included in Art of Command) are covered during the year as they relate to 

operational planning and execution. Students are trained to prepare for, and participate in, 

television-type interviews on a wide range of relevant military topics and scenarios. The annual

Media Symposium includes professional media representatives in a forum designed to promote 

better understanding for both the military and media professionals about the position each holds 

in our democracy. 

Joint Professional Military Education: Integrated into the Command and Staff College 

curriculum is the first phase of the two-phased Joint Specialty Officer (JSO) education mandated 

by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As a result, all graduates of the College are “Phase 

One” qualified in terms of JSO designation. This program of joint instruction is described in a 

separate syllabus titled “Joint Professional Military Education (JPME)” which addresses the five 

primary learning areas identified in the Officer Professional Military Education Policy Document:

 National Military Capabilities and Command Structure

 Joint Doctrine

 Joint and Multinational Forces at the Operational Level of War

 Joint Planning and Execution Processes

 Information Operations (IO) and Command, Control, Communications, and Computers (C4)

THE ELECTIVES PROGRAM

During the second semester students take one elective course. Electives are designed to 

complement the core curriculum and offer additional intellectual challenge to students by 

responding to their interests. The College publishes a separate elective syllabus during the Fall 

semester. Several of the electives are classified (Secret), thus are not open to all students. A 

sampling of courses offered include:

The American Indian Wars

This course covers the period of inter-action between the “Indians” (indigenous peoples), and 

Europeans and “Americans” from the 17th to 19th centuries. Background will be presented by 
46

the instructor, followed by student led seminars. Subjects studied span the spectrum from the 

colonial wars between the English and French new-comers and the tribes they encountered 

through the Anglo-Indian versus French-Indian wars, through the usually ignored (but 

significantly important) wars of the early Federal period of the new republic, to those of the more 

familiar post-Civil War, “American west” and the first possible “foreign Indian war,” i.e., the 

Philippine Insurrection of the post-Spanish-American War years. Included in this overview will 

be an analysis of the US Army’s approach to the Indian wars. It will end with a concluding 

seminar analyzing the 19th century military heritage of the country as portrayed in the nation’s 

popular culture.

Critical Periods in American Military History: The American Civil War

The intent of this course is to explore the issues that brought about the war, the issues attendant 

to the conduct of the war, and some of the issues that were resolved by the war as well as those 

that remain unresolved. The course will also seek to place the war within the broader context of 

the development of military practice in the 19th century. The course will include three trips. The 

first will be to Manassas to examine the Second Battle of Manassas; the second will be to 

Fredericksburg, and the last will cover the 1864 Overland Campaign in Virginia.

Joint Warfighting (Secret)

This elective is designed to provide interested US officers a more detailed and focused study of 

joint operations than offered in the core curriculum. The initial seminars feature a lecture and 

series of case studies that provide greater understanding of the foundation and impact of the 

Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986. The remaining series of seminars and field trips will 

concentrate on current joint issues with particular focus on the considerations in designing, 

organizing and operating a Joint Task Force. Lecturers in the past have come from the Joint 

Staff, Joint Forces Command, Special Operations Command, and Central Command, as well as 

other PME institutions. Field trips have included visits to the Joint Staff, CIA Headquarters, the 

Joint Warfare Analysis Center and Joint Forces Command. This elective will prepare 

participants to better serve in follow-on assignments as planners or action officers on a Joint 

Staff or in functional or service components within a joint organization. By course completion 

these officers will have a better appreciation for applicable joint terminology, processes, 

command relationships and capabilities.

Airpower: Evolution of Theory and Practice

In many ways, airpower’s staunchest advocates have been its worst enemies. From the faculty of 

the Air Corps Tactical School to Colonel John Warden, airpower “theorists” have proposed 

strategies in which sorties, targets, and desired effects are calculated with almost mathematical 

certainty. Yet when these best laid plans have failed to live up to their billing, critics have leveled 

the accusation that the failure of airpower to deliver on its promise exposes the fundamental flaw 

of airpower theory and airmen often exacerbate the criticism by finding reasons after the fact as to 

why the outcome did not match their predictions. But is this criticism valid? 
47

This is a course concerned with ideas. Its purpose is to explore, to the extent possible, the full 

dimension of airpower through the lens of history in order to arrive at certain conclusions 

regarding the nature of airpower and its employment. The course comprises ten sessions. The first 

two sessions examine the fundamental propositions of “classical” airpower theory as they emerged 

between the two world wars. These propositions are then tested in the laboratory of history, as we 

examine the development of military airpower from World War II to the present and from that 

examination draw certain inferences from which we may reach certain conclusions. The final 

session speculates about the future of airpower based on the conclusions reached.

Causes of War and Peace

When Madeline Albright was nominated to become Secretary of State, she noted that the Munich 

Crisis was more important to her own mind set than Vietnam. Such a statement underscores the 

extent to which leaders draw on pre-conceived assumptions concerning the underlying causes of 

war and peace when they formulate policy. This course will systematically explore various 

explanations for the underlying cause of war to highlight the assumptions that often drive policy. 

Some readings will present realist views and others will represent the work of scholars critical of 

realism. Along the way, the class will draw from a number of cases studied in the core 

curriculum in order to help students evaluate Thucydides’ claim to have written a history that is 

“a possession for all time.”

Indochina to Vietnam

This elective examines the thirty-year war the Vietnamese communists waged against first the 

French and then their American-backed successors. The course discusses the nature of 

Vietnamese communism, the campaign waged by the French from 1946 to 1954, the failure of 

the Diem regime, the American decision to “go big” in 1964-5, the Westmoreland attrition 

strategy and its critics, the air war, the Nixon strategy of Vietnamization, and the final South 

Vietnamese collapse in 1975. The core text is Philip Davidson’s Vietnam at War with other 

readings as assigned. One paper of ten to twelve pages. No travel. 

The American Revolution

The course on America’s War for Independence explores the social and intellectual currents 

attendant to the revolution with the intent of assessing it in a much broader context: that of the 

relationship between the war and the society as a whole. As a subset of this broad analysis, the 

course also assesses the character of the Continental Army and how a band of inexperienced 

armed revolutionaries, or citizen soldiers, actually conducted the war. The course is divided into 

three phases: Phase 1 begins with an analysis of the Stamp Act crisis of 1765, and then 

progresses chronologically from the outbreak of the conflict at Lexington in April 1775 to the 

eve of the Battle of Saratoga in September 1777; Phase 2 focuses on the Battle of Saratoga, the 

Campaign for the Middle Colonies, and the war on the American frontier; Phase 3 assesses the 

War in the South or the so-called Southern Campaign. The final phase begins by tracing General 

Nathaniel Green’s Campaign against Lord Charles Cornwallis and concludes with a detailed 

analysis of the Battle of Yorktown. Highlight of the course is a three-day field trip to New York 

to conduct staff rides of the Battles of Ft. Ticonderoga, Bennington, and Saratoga.
48

Weapons of Mass Destruction (Secret)

For four decades following World War II, the role of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons 

was rarely conceptualized outside the US-Soviet bipolar framework. The study of “weapons of 

mass destruction” focused almost exclusively on the crucially important questions related to 

deterring war between the superpowers, extending deterrence to allies, controlling escalation of a 

superpower conflict if deterrence failed, and terminating conflict on terms favorable to the 

United States (or to the USSR from the Russian point of view). Based on this paradigm, the 

strategic implications of nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) weapons evolved to include 

central and extended deterrence, counter value and counterforce targeting, mutual assured 

destruction, and system survivability and retaliatory capability.

Today, however, the US looks toward reshaping strategy, doctrine, and force structure for a 

multipolar, and potentially hostile multinuclear, post-Cold War world, where maintaining an 

effective deterrent becomes more difficult. The proliferation of NBC weapons of all kinds and 

their delivery systems in regions of importance to US national security interests necessitates 

increased study and analysis of the role of NBC weapons in the post-Cold War environment. The 

main thrust of this course is that global and regional conflicts in the post-Cold War are likely to 

exacerbate the competition by nations and by sub-national groups to acquire and develop chemical, 

biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) weapons as substitutes for large conventional forces. 

The key to understanding the strategic implication of NBC weapons today is not whether 

proliferation is dangerous to global security, and hence to US interests, but whether they are 

conducive to a more stable global security environment if managed appropriately. For the 

warfighter, however, the real challenge is to minimize the impact of these weapons during 

conventional military operations. The purpose of this course is to debate these complex issues in 

some depth, with an eye towards free protection and the on-going war on terrorism.

Churchill As War Leader: WWII

This is a seminar on Winston S. Churchill’s war leadership and on World War Two. Both are 

approached through the six volumes of Churchill’s famous history, The Second World War. 

Class presentations by the instructor and students will also incorporate other perspectives, 

including the criticisms of wartime allies, political opponents, and later historians. 

RECURRING THEMES 

Throughout the year, the student will be called upon to discern and analyze recurring themes 

within the curriculum. These themes represent a link between the instruction received and 

thinking accomplished in each course and subcourse, as well as the curriculum as a whole. The 

successful discernment and analysis of the recurring themes will provide the student with the 

framework for relating to the numerous educational objectives and seemingly diverse aspects of 

the curriculum.

Applicable recurring themes will be stated in each course syllabus. However, the thorough 

understanding and appreciation of them remain the student’s task. Within the context of MCDP 1, 
49

Warfighting, these themes should enable the student to better face challenges within the academic 

and operational worlds. Listed below are some examples of recurring themes:

 Joint warfare and operational planning systems

 Coalition warfare and geo-strategic considerations in regional operations

 Campaign planning; deployment, employment, redeployment of forces

 Leadership, command, core values and ethics

 Intelligence preparation of the battlespace; the primacy of intelligence in maneuver warfare

 MAGTF considerations throughout the range of military operations

 MAGTF doctrine application to the changing conditions of warfare

 Staff planning cycle considerations and their relationship throughout the three levels of war

COURSE READINGS 

The pace of activities at the beginning of the academic year will begin quickly and increase in 

intensity as the first semester progresses. The reading load will, at times, be substantial. 

Therefore, we recommend students complete as much of the following readings as possible 

before the academic year begins. All these publications are on the Commandant’s reading list, 

with the exception of Hew Strachan’s European Armies and the Conduct of War, and are 

available at base libraries or the Marine Corps Exchange. All readings and books are provided to 

students once they check into the College.

 Marine Corps Doctrinal Publication 1, Warfighting. Headquarters, U. S. Marine Corps 

Printing, 20 June 1997.

 Von Clausewitz, Karl, On War, edited by Michael Howard and Peter Paret. Princeton: 

Princeton University Press, 1976. Read only the three introductory Essays (pp. 3-58);, Books 

I and VIII of On War (pp. 75-123; 577-637); and the concluding commentary, “A Guide to 

reading On War” (pp. 641-711).

 Sun Tsu. The Art of War. Translated by BGen. Samuel B. Griffin, USMC Oxford: Oxford 

University Press, 1963

During August through November, you will read part, if not all, of the following books:

 Hastings, Max and Jenkins, Simon. The Battle for the Falklands

 Kissinger, Henry. Diplomacy
50

 Overy, Richard. Why the Allies Won

 Paret, Peter, ed. Makers of Modern Strategy

 Parker, Geoffrey. The Military Revolution

 Shaara, Michael. Killer Angels

 Strachan, Hew. European Armies and the Conduct of War

 Strassler, Robert B., ed., The Landmark Thucydides

 Weinberg, Gerhard. A World at Arms

In addition, we recommend you remain/become up-to-date on current events and foreign affairs 

by reading your local and national newspapers, news magazines, etc. Current events will be an 

integral part of our seminar discussions.

WRITING PROGRAM AND AWARDS

“Writing across the curriculum” is an important part of the educational philosophy of Command 

and Staff College. Since writing is such an essential element of the professional responsibilities of 

field grade officers, developing research and writing skills is one of the primary focuses of your 

Command and Staff education. Each course at the College includes a written examination, a 

paper, or both. This work will require students to demonstrate the ability to conduct meaningful 

research, analyze their findings, and present their conclusions in a logical and persuasive manner, 

all the while conforming to acceptable standards of academic writing. Faculty Advisor Teams 

grade your papers and the results form part of the final grade for each course.

Before reporting to the College, a review of writing mechanics through the following 

publications is suggested: the Harbrace Handbook, Struck and White’s Elements of Style, Diana 

Hacker’s A Writer’s Reference, or self-paced texts such as Help Yourself or The Writer’s Tutor. 

The Chicago Manual of Style and Kate L. Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, 

Theses, and Dissertations are excellent standard references for academic writing.

Students applying for the Master’s Program prepare an academic paper of a minimum text length 

of 35 pages. The student must engage at least two faculty mentors (one must be a PhD) who, on 

the basis of their interests and background, agree to mentor the paper. With approval, a person 

outside the College who is qualified by education and experience may also serve as a mentor. 

Students are strongly encouraged to identify potential research topics before reporting to the 

College. A faculty committee chaired by the Associate Dean must approve the choice of subject. 

The mentors then guide the student during the preparation of the Master’s paper. (See College 

publication, “Master of Military Studies, Requirements for the Degree.”)

Faculty Advisor Teams evaluate the Master’s, core course, and elective papers for the purpose of 

nominating the best for the writing awards discussed below.
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Writing Program Awards

There are seven professional writing awards presented at graduation each year. A short 

description follows:

Private James Hammett (Son of Brigadier Hammett), Royal Australian Regiment, presenting 

the “Brigadier Hammett” award to Major R. Graham Davis, Canada, June 1992.

The Colonel Franklin Brooke Nihart Award. Presented in honor of Colonel Franklin Brooke 

Nihart, U. S. Marine Corps, Retired, by his family and the Marine Corps University Foundation 

to the student who writes the best Master of Military Studies paper. Award: $600 check and 

certificate. 

The Colonel Bevan G. Cass Awards. Presented in honor of Colonel Bevan G. Cass, U. S. 

Marine Corps, by the Marine Corps Association to the students whose papers are determined to 

be the best on a topic concerned with the profession of arms bearing directly on the Marine 

Corps. Awards: First place, $600 check and certificate; second place, $400 check and 

certificate. 

The Lieutenant General John A. Lejeune Award. Presented in memory of Lieutenant General 

John A. Lejeune, U. S. Marine Corps, the thirteenth Commandant of the Marine Corps by the 

Marine Corps League to the student whose paper is determined to be the best on a military topic. 

Award: $500 check and plaque. 

The Lieutenant General Edward W. Snedeker Award. Presented in honor of the late Lieutenant 

General Edward W. Snedeker, U. S. Marine Corps, by the Armed Forces Communication and 

Electronics Association Educational Fund to the student whose paper is determined to be the best on a 

topic related to command and control, communications, information systems or intelligence and suitable 

for publication in a professional journal. Award: engraved desk clock. 
52

Intelligence Writing Award. Established by the Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA), Office of 

Military Affairs in 1996, this award is presented to the student whose paper on intelligence or an 

intelligence-related topic is judged to be most outstanding. Award: engraved medallion. 

The Brigadier A. W. Hammett Award. Presented in memory of Brigadier A. W. “Tony” 

Hammett, AM, Royal Australian Regiment, by the members of his U. S. Marine Corps 

Command and Staff College Class of 1975-76 to the International Military Student whose paper 

is considered most outstanding on a subject of value to the individual student’s country. Award: 

engraved clock.

The Dean’s Writing Award. Presented to the student who writes the best Master of Military 

Studies paper on a subject related to an instrument of national power other than the military, 

e.g., diplomatic, economic, political, etc. Award: $250 check and certificate.

ACCREDITATION

The Marine Corps University is regionally accredited by the Commission on 

Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 

Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097: Telephone number 404-679-

4501) to award a Master of Military Studies degree through the Command 

and Staff College.

MASTER OF MILITARY STUDIES DEGREE

There are two ways a resident College student may seek graduate credit hours for the academic 

year. One is to be accepted into, and complete the work for, the Master of Military Studies 

Program, initiated in academic year 1993-94. The President of Marine Corps University grants 

this degree.

A second possibility for graduate credit is transferring Command and Staff College “hours” to a 

graduate program at another college or university. In the past, institutions have accepted a 

limited number of credit hours towards a master’s degree. The number of transferable hours 

varies according to (1) the graduate program itself, and (2) the determination of the receiving 

College or University. 

Over 800 students have subsequently elected to seek the Master of Military Studies degree since 

initiation of the program, for which there are several requirements beyond the core curriculum. 

The Master of Military Studies is a voluntary program; “Distinguished Graduate” status is 

unaffected by a student’s decision to enter into, or withdraw from, the MMS program.

MMS PURPOSE: There are two purposes for the Master of Military Studies program. The first 

is to encourage the students to inquire deeply into an area of professional significance, academic 

importance, and personal interest. The second purpose is to improve the student’s ability to 

conceive and execute an extended formal inquiry. 
53

Although admission requirements to Command and Staff College are generally controlled by 

each service’s manpower department, admission to the College’s Master of Military Studies 

Program is limited to those officers who also meet the following prerequisites:

 The candidate must hold a bachelor’s degree and must ensure the institution sends an official 

transcript to the Command and Staff College Registrar by the designated date. Candidates 

should make similar arrangements for transcripts of any graduate-level education they may have.

 The candidate must speak and write English with demonstrable proficiency. International 

Officers must attain a minimum score of 95 percent on the qualifying examination 

administered by the Command and Staff College.

 Candidates, including International Officers, must earn an unremediated “B” in all Command 

and Staff College courses, including electives.

 The candidate must, at the time of application, have signatures of concurrence from both 

Conference Group Faculty Advisors.

 The candidate must meet the prescribed deadlines for progress on the master’s paper.

This degree is available through the resident College course only.

EVALUATIONS 

The aim of all evaluations is to determine whether a student has achieved the educational 

objectives of a course of instruction. All evaluations require a practical application solution or a 

narrative/essay response. In some cases oral briefings are used to amplify/defend the student’s 

solution/answer.

GRADED EVALUATIONS. Faculty Advisor Teams will evaluate all examinations and assign a 

grade (A, B, or C) in accordance with the criteria defined in the CSC Standing Operating 

Procedure. As a graduate-level institution, it is the policy of the Command and Staff College 

that a grade below B constitutes unacceptable performance and requires remediation. 

Remediation is the responsibility of the officer, with the Course Director and Faculty Advisor 

Team assisting throughout the remediation process.

STUDENT EVALUATION OF THE COMMAND AND STAFF 

COLLEGE

As part of the continuing effort to improve the curriculum of the Command and Staff College, an 

evaluation of the instruction is conducted through class/course critiques. These critiques are 

distributed and collected electronically via the College’s intranet. Mid-year and end-of-year 

critiques dealing with aspects of school life not associated with an instructional course will be 

given to all students. All critiques are treated with confidentiality and students are encouraged to 

give the College their complete and candid thoughts.

COURSE EVALUATIONS. At the end of each course/subcourse, officers are required to 

complete a course critique. These critiques will be deployed via the intranet at the beginning of 
54

each course and collected within 5 days of course completion. These critiques are designed to 

provide constructive feedback to the faculty on the overall effectiveness of the course. 

Comments should address those aspects of the course the student found particularly effective or 

that need improvement from the standpoint of achieving the educational objectives.

Additionally, within the first year after graduation, evaluation questionnaires will be forwarded 

to graduates and their reporting seniors for additional comments and recommendations. All of 

these evaluations are considered in planning for the Syllabus of Instruction and the conduct of 

the curriculum.

DISTINGUISHED GRADUATE PROGRAM

The Distinguished Graduate Program provides an opportunity for the College to appropriately 

recognize those graduating officers who have made the most significant contributions, both 

academically and professionally, during the academic year. Approximately twenty percent of the 

class will be recognized as Distinguished Graduates. 

CURRICULUM SUMMARY 

The Command and Staff College curriculum is a graduate-level educational program designed to 

prepare field grade officers to successfully lead the Armed Forces through the 21st Century. The 

College’s focus is to develop “MAGTF OFFICERS” who thoroughly understand the unique 

flexibility and capabilities of Marine Air-Ground Task Forces and are capable of planning for 

and employing them at the operational and tactical levels of war in a joint and/or multinational 

environment. The learning process is characterized by active participation and interaction, 

concentrated study, and critical analysis on the part of each student. The end result is a graduate 

who can adapt to the changing conditions of warfare and fight successfully on any future 

battlefield.
Chapter Five

~School of Advanced Warfighting~

57

The School of Advanced Warfighting

MISSION

The School of Advanced Warfighting provides a follow-on, graduate-level professional

military education for selected field grade officers who have completed the Marine Corps or a 

sister service command and staff college course. The course develops complex problem solving 

and decision making skills that can be used to improve the warfighting capabilities of an 

organization at the operational level.

INTENT 

The School’s intent is to concentrate – in selected field grade officers – decision-making and 

complex problem solving experience at the operational level using historical and contemporary 

issues as a framework and building blocks. In so doing, these officers are preparing for 

appropriate high-impact, MEF-level and higher service, joint and multinational billets, without 

prejudice to future command potential. Distinctive long-term influence in both command and 

staff billets is anticipated.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Curriculum goals are derived from the mission and intent of SAW and define the broad topic 

areas the curriculum is designed to address. The three courses of study in the curriculum are 

designed to enable SAW graduates to:

Foundations of the Operational Art

 Analyze the influence of key American national values on contemporary military institutions.

 Understand the relationship between political and military goals, and how national-level 

institutions prepare for and fight wars.

 Be able to analyze the basis of the mission, organization, doctrine, or policies of a military 

organization.

 Understand how the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the unified and specified commands, and other 

elements of the operational command structure actively contribute to the preparation for, and 

execution of, joint and combined military campaigns.

 Understand the nature of “people’s war” as a form of recurring conflict and its implications 

for planners and commanders.
58

 Understand the nature of military operations other than war and the strategic and operational 

implications of U. S. national strategy, regional conflicts, and local culture for planners and 

commanders preparing for such operations.

Operational Planning

 Understand campaign design and operational decision making.

 Apply enhanced military judgment to mission analysis and the development of operationallevel concepts of operations during planning exercises.

 During battlefield campaign rides, apply the results of classroom study of a campaign to 

observation of the actual terrain in order to develop a clearer appreciation of operational issues.

Future Warfighting

 Understand how military organizations innovate, adapt, and change.

 Describe the likely implications for a military organization when one or more of that 

organization’s basic tenets changes.

 Determine those cultural and political characteristics of a region which should be considered 

when developing strategic and operational objectives for future deployment and employment 

of military forces.

 Study the nature of “revolutions in military affairs” in order to develop insights into the 

changing patterns of warfighting.

STUDENT SELECTION

The significant contribution SAW provides to the defense of the United States demands selection 

of the very best candidates for admission. 

SAW accepts into each new class up to 15 Marines plus sister service and international officers. 

Admission is limited to the 24 best qualified officers available. In the admissions process, the 

following are issues of concern: 

 the student’s reasons for his/her interest in SAW; 

 career pattern to date; 

 operational background; 

 academic potential; and

 proven verbal and written communications skills. 
59

SAW is critically interested in representation by sister services. The active search for candidates 

extends to other service intermediate level schools and includes qualified candidates from allied 

nations. 

SAW strives to bring the best minds and the best talent to the class. The selection process begins 

each Fall with a briefing to the current Command and Staff College class and other sister service 

schools, followed with a request for applications. The one-page application is endorsed by 

faculty advisors, who have consciously looked for superior candidates since the beginning of the 

academic year. 

Each Command and Staff College applicant is interviewed during November by a formal board 

consisting of the Command and Staff College Deputy Director, Dean of Academics, the Head of the 

School of Advanced Warfighting, and Professors from the School of Advanced Warfighting. Sister 

service school applicants are interviewed by Head, SAW during his briefing visit to each school.

The board’s recommended selections are forwarded to the Director of Command and Staff College 

and the President of Marine Corps University for concurrence. Their endorsements are forwarded 

to each service’s headquarters for a final records check and for final authority to enroll.

COURSE METHODOLOGY

SAW is a “problem-solving and decision-making” course, rather than a “planning” course, 

although planning is something studied and practiced extensively. The majority of the learning 

exercises of the School of Advanced Warfighting can be described as follows: The student is 

presented with a mass of information and given a problem to solve. The problem may be to 

answer a discussion question, devise a campaign plan, make decisions in a wargame, develop a 

briefing, submit a point paper, conduct a staff study, or carry out additional research for an essay 

on an assigned topic. The process becomes iterative: break the problem into its elements, solve 

these, relate the partial solutions to the greater problem, identify the question on which the whole 

problem turns, and finally, resolve that question or problem. Implied is the potential for an 

inherently greater tempo and experience in recognizing and then discarding distracting, noncritical information.

The study of military history develops the analytic mind of the officer, enhances the 

understanding of military issues, and facilitates the officer’s future decision-making efforts. 

Historical studies are not used didactically; rather, they are approached without bias so that the 

conclusions resulting from a thorough analysis of established facts can then be evaluated without 

prejudice. Unable to anticipate all the problems which the graduates might face in their further 

military service, SAW seeks to equip them to solve any problem which might arise.

SEMINAR

The seminar is central to the conduct of the academic year and ensures success in meeting lesson 

objectives. In preparation for a seminar, the seminar leader, whether a faculty member or 

visiting scholar, organizes a set of readings that enable the student to examine the issue under 

study. Alternative viewpoints or interpretations, conflicting data, etc., are also presented. 
60

In conjunction with the readings, discussion questions are posed to further guide the students in 

their preparation for the following seminar. These questions are designed to provoke debate and, 

ultimately, foster a comprehensive understanding of the underlying issues. 

In the seminars, students are expected to contribute regularly and substantively, without either 

dominating the session or avoiding engagement. The key to developing the unique potential 

of SAW graduates lies largely within the seminar experience.

CURRICULUM DESCRIPTION

The curriculum is distinguished by three interrelated courses of study:

The lessons in Foundations of the Operational Art are concerned with the campaigns, military 

innovations and contemporary institutions which, taken together, permit analysis of the evolution 

of the (primarily) American military. Beginning with America’s colonial wars, the distinct set of 

national values that continue to exert influence on our nation’s approach to defense and war is 

examined. Where appropriate, case studies of conflicts involving other sets of belligerents are 

also examined. These not only provide examples of similar problems in dissimilar environments 

but also highlight the sources of many of the imported aspects of the American approach to war. 

The study of military innovation allows the student to appreciate better the impact of changing 

conditions on the evolution of operational art. Finally, contemporary institutions, both political 

and military, are considered in terms of their evolution, their approach to problems in the recent 

past, and how the attendant experiences exert their influence now.

Operational Planning consists of a series of planning problems during which students execute 

selected steps of the staff planning process. Emphasis is placed on mission analysis and course 

of action development that are further refined into a sound and functional concept of operations. 

The Marine Corps Planning Process, as presented by members of the MAGTF Staff Training 

Program, provides the framework for plan development in each exercise. The SAW students act 

as Operational Plannng Team leaders and facilitators in teaching the Marine Corps Planning 

Process to the Comand and Staff College students.

In the course of the school year, three Campaign Rides are made to areas that lend themselves to 

the study of warfare at the campaign level. During the fall, several battlefields of the 1864 

Virginia Campaign are studied; in the winter, several European battlefields and other points of 

interest are visited; and in the spring, a trip to Asia-Pacific campaign sites is scheduled. Thorough 

study of the operational issues is made of each campaign beforehand, in order to maximize the 

value of the field studies. These Campaign Rides give the students an opportunity to carry out a 

most important aspect of campaign studies: walking the ground after in-depth study.

Foundations of the Operational Art 

Operational Planning

Future Warfighting
61

Future Warfighting deals with the importance of recognizing the possibility (if not probability) 

of existing paradigms losing their relevance under the pressure of changing conditions. While 

several lessons under Foundations of the Operational Art offer illustrative evidence of “future 

war past” and how change has been confronted, this section also provides the students with 

readings on, and exposure to, existing agencies and institutions and their efforts to anticipate and 

prepare for change and the future. In conjunction with these subcourses, each student is required 

to develop a formal paper dealing with the consequences of significant change negating 

underlying assumptions concerning doctrine, operational practice, equipment or organization.

EVALUATIONS

Individual written requirements and frequent oral presentations constitute the graded output of 

the School. The goal of the SAW Writing Program is to develop the student’s written 

communication skills such that they write with increased clarity, crispness, conciseness and 

focus in a manner that facilitates each student’s individual style of expression. Writing 

assignments are designed to develop sound and effective research skills; produce well-reasoned, 

coherent and supportable conclusions; advance an argument and convincingly defend a position; 

and develop the ability to condense information into a compact, effective written product. Oral 

presentations take the form of formal briefings and less formal contributions in seminar. The 

intent is to provide frequent experience in offering well-organized comments that reflect 

intellectual synthesis and contribute synergistically to seminar-oriented discussions. The faculty 

of the School of Advanced Warfighting evaluates written and oral requirements using guidelines 

established by the Director, Command and Staff College. The intent of the evaluative 

mechanism is to signal to the student measurable strengths and weaknesses in order to allow for 

improvement through the school year.

THE CLIFTON B. CATES AWARD

Presented in memory of General Clifton B. Cates, US Marine Corps, 19th Commandant of the 

Marine Corps, by the Navy League. These awards are presented to two School of Advanced 

Warfighting students most deserving of special recognition for their year-long, sustained 

demonstration of problem-solving capabilities, writing abilities, participation in practical 

exercises, and daily exchange of ideas as acknowledged by both SAW faculty and students. First 

(engraved watch (valued at $100) and a certificate) and second ($100 Savings Bond and 

certificate) place awards are presented

DEGREE AWARDED

The Marine Corps University is regionally accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the 

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-

4097: Telephone number 404-679-4501). Graduates of the School of Advanced Warfighting are 

awarded a Master of Operational Studies degree. 
62

SAW ORGANIZATION

Head, School of Advanced Warfighting. The Head of SAW is responsible to the Director, CSC, 

for policy and coordinates through the Dean of Academics for curriculum matters and the 

Deputy Director for personnel issues. Head, SAW is typically a post-battalion command, active 

duty USMC Lieutenant Colonel who is a graduate of both SAW and a top-level school. The 

School Head is assisted in this endeavor by the school’s two civilian faculty members and the 

Command and Staff College Department of Academics.

Class President. The Class President is the senior U. S. Marine Corps officer in the class. He or she 

is the point of contact with the Head, SAW for the student chain of command. The Class president 

coordinates the administrative, academic, athletic, social, and military activities of the class.
Chapter Six

~Educational Support Services~

65

Educational Support Services

GENERAL ALFRED M. GRAY RESEARCH CENTER

The library at the Gray Research Center (GRC) has significant printed and electronic information 

that can directly assist Command and Staff College officers. The library has some 127,000 

bound volumes, pamphlets, periodicals, microforms, manuals, and government documents. Its 

librarians can often find information easily located or suggest additional reference sources.

The library has begun to acquire two substantial microform collections that will benefit any 

officer writing on post-1945 national security policy. The first collection consists of a 

subscription to the Declassified Documents Retrieval System, a microform collection (with 

annual indices) that contains declassified or sanitized documents on national security affairs 

made available since the mid-1970s, chiefly from presidential libraries. The second collection 

comprises several compilations of declassified documents from the private National Security 

Archive in Washington, DC These compilations, which are indexed, include materials relating 

to US policy toward Iran and intelligence activities overall. 

The Gray Research Center (GRC) serves as the computerized central location of Marine Corps 

warfighting information. As such, it acts as a data repository for the Marine Corps University 

public access documents. This includes titles, periodicals, correspondence courses, 

faculty/student guides, as well as the entire warfighting collection from base libraries (books, 

Marine Corps Lessons Learned, historical documents, oral histories, speeches, and maps). It also 

provides search and retrieve capability of military and civilian public access data. MCU 

students, faculties, and staff, as well as Marine Corps wide users, are able to gain information on 

many topics through hard, soft, or telecommunications media. 

 Word processing, database management, spreadsheet, and graphics capabilities are intrinsic 

components of the GRC system available to the students, staffs and faculties. The GRC also 

provides the means for personal communication between members of the Marine Corps 

community via electronic communications using Microsoft Outlook.

 The GRC is composed of six sections for which system requirements have been identified. 

These six sections provide a staff to support the student and faculty research efforts:

ˆ Archives Branch

ˆ Collections Department

ˆ Circulation Department

ˆ Family Library

ˆ Reference Library

ˆ Administrative Offices
66

THE CLASSIFIED MATERIAL CONTROL CENTER

The CMCC, located on the third deck of the Combat Development Center, provides MCCDC 

security for classified research material. Documents maintained are primarily Technical 

Publications, Naval Warfare Publications, COMTAC Publications (Classified and Unclassified), 

Field Manuals, Technical Manuals, DA Pamphlets, Operation Orders and Reports (USMC, USN, 

USA), Standing Operating Procedures (Fleet Marine Forces, Divisions, Wings), Technical 

Reports (DoD and contractor research organizations), intelligence documents (USAF, USA, 

CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency, USMC, USN, and Dept. of State), Student Individual 

Research Projects, and Flight Handbooks (aircraft in the Marine Corps inventory). The Center’s 

hours are from 0730-1630, Monday through Friday.

RESOURCE LIBRARIES IN GEOGRAPHIC AREA

Local civilian libraries. The library at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) in 

Woodbridge is also available for your use; the reader printer at NOVA can print copies of major 

newspaper articles from microfilm. The Prince William County Library in Manassas has a current 

index of Washington Post articles (GRC has only 1974-1976). The public libraries in Fairfax 

County, Arlington County and Alexandria are very good, too, although none of these has specialized 

collections in military affairs and none compares with the research libraries discussed below. 

Department of Defense has a number of good libraries, where journals and books may be 

consulted. In particular, there is the old War Department Library that forms the core of the 

extensive Pentagon Library, the Navy Department Library at the Washington Navy Yard, and the 

Marine Corps Historical Center Library also at the Navy Yard. Unfortunately, these libraries are 

only open during working hours during the week. CSC officers cannot borrow directly from any 

of these libraries but can photocopy from extensive periodical holdings, inspect books, and 

obtain citations for borrowing via inter-library loan.

Major universities in the area have extensive collections well worth consulting. Among these 

are the libraries at Georgetown University and George Washington University in Washington 

itself and the University of Maryland at College Park. For a small fee ($50), the library at Mary 

Washington College in Fredericksburg, and for a larger fee ($125), the larger research library of 

the University of Maryland at College Park will provide borrowing privileges.

The Library of Congress is in a class by itself and is open six days a week, including evenings 

on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. There is no access to its stacks, however, and patrons 

must wait an hour or so for materials to be brought up.

ARCHIVES

Officers may desire to consult archival materials for certain historical topics. In April 1995, 

President Clinton signed an executive order that established new declassification guidelines 

facilitating access to previously classified documents older than 25 years (GRC is beginning to 

declassify documents previously off limits). Although many classified documents much older 

remain off limits due to their subject matter (weaponry, espionage, foreign governmental 
67

concerns, and other exceptions), the burden of keeping materials out of public hands now rests 

with the holders of the documents. As a result, the opportunities for research on post-1945 

national security affairs topics are greater now than they have ever been. The following archives 

in the area contain primary sources of great value to a sustained study of any topic. 

The GRC Archive Branch has substantial collections of private and official papers going back 

to the American Civil War and running through Desert Shield/Desert Storm. In addition, it has 

documents tracing the evolution of amphibious warfare from the 1890s to the present. The 

Archive Branch holds the personal papers of a number of major figures in the Marine Corps. 

Holdings include important materials on World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and 

Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Its collection includes materials relating to Marine Corps “small 

wars,” Marine Corps roles and missions, studies and reports from World War II through the 

1970s, and research and development. Its holdings are particularly strong in material on 

education at Quantico, including lectures dating from the 1920s. The archives are open during 

the week with Thursday evening hours until 2100 and may be used weekends by appointment.

The Marine Corps Historical Center at Building 58 of the Navy Yard is open during the week 

and is a gold mine of information on USMC operations. The staff includes historians who can 

offer specific information and guidance. Telephone is (202) 433-3837 [DSN 288].

The Navy Yard is also the home of the Navy’s Operational Archives, which is open Mondays 

to Fridays from 0900 to 1630. Located in Building 57 opposite Leutze Park, it includes 

substantial classified material as well as a wealth of unclassified material. There are also official 

historians at the Center who can discuss student’s work and offer guidance for both archival and 

published sources. There is limited photocopying and the telephone number is (202) 433-3224 

[DSN 288].

The Center for Air Force History is temporarily at the Naval Air Station, Anacostia, Building 

94. It maintains a modest archive of oral histories (some classified) and Air Force documents. It 

is open weekdays, but it is advisable to call for an appointment and transmit your clearance. 

Telephone: (202) 404-2222 [DSN 754].

The Army’s Center of Military History (CMH) is located in Building 35 of Fort Leslie McNair 

in Southwest DC. It contains a small library and archival materials, notably oral histories for the 

Vietnam and Persian Gulf Wars. Additionally, CMH maintains an end-of-tour interview 

program within the Army Secretariat and Staff. It is open weekdays 0730-1600, but it is best to 

make an appointment by calling the Operations Officer at (202) 685-2706, the archives at 685-

2194, or the Field Programs Branch (for unit histories) at 685-2733.

Another major source of Army history is its Military History Institute (MHI) at Carlisle 

Barracks, Pennsylvania--a short drive from the DC area. The MHI offers an unparalleled 

repository of Army records encompassing warfighting from the Revolutionary War to the 

Persian Gulf War. The MHI holds more than eight million books, periodicals, manuscripts, 

photographs and audiovisual materials that cover war throughout American history. Archival 

sources are especially strong in diaries, letters, personal papers, and oral histories of hundreds of 

prominent generals and tens of thousands of junior officers and enlisted personnel. Researchers 
68

can stay at Washington Hall, a century-old lodging within walking distance of the MHI. For 

general information and directions, telephone (717) 245-5008 [DSN 242]. Apart from Federal 

holidays, the MHI is open from 0800 to 1630 during the week, except Wednesdays when it 

opens at 1130.

Military records in the National Archives are divided between Archives I, which is in 

downtown Washington (Metro stop: Archives), and Archives II, which is in College Park, 

Maryland (Metro stop: Prince George’s Plaza and R3 bus). For the most part, military records 

pre-dating the Second World War are housed in Archives I, and records from the Second World 

War onwards are at Archives II.

Records are organized and arranged by what the Archives calls “record groups” based on the 

originating agency and the nature of the records. The extent of collections varies. For example, 

records of the CJCS comprise RG 218 and are complete through 1970. Central files of the JCS 

are complete only through 1961. Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (RG 330) 

end in the mid-1950’s. Inventories are very complete, and archivists can be very helpful, if 

students first make an appointment.

The Archives I Reference Branch is in Room 11W of the National Archives at 8th and 

Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC, 20408. Their telephone number is (202) 501-5385.

The Archives II reference Branch is in Room 2400, Archives II at College Park, 8601 Adelphi 

Park, College Park, MD 20740-6001. Their telephone number is (301) 713-7250.

The Center for Naval Analyses (CNA) in Alexandria maintains a collection of all its 

publications and is open to official researchers by appointment. Despite its name, CNA has 

published a lot on the USMC. Call Linda Harper at (703) 829-2121.

INTERNET AVAILABILITY

Students have Internet access for research and to supplement course materials provided 

throughout the academic year. Access is provided on computers in each conference room and 

the multi-media room. The Marine Corps University (MCU) Web page address is 

www.mcu.usmc.mil. From it you will be able to login to your student e-mail account from home 

or go to the CSC or other University Web pages and links. 

MARINE CORPS UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION

The Marine Corps University Foundation is a private organization operated for the purpose of 

helping enhance and enrich the advanced education and leadership training of United States 

Marines and sister service officers through financial support of the Marine Corps University, 

Fleet Marine Forces and separate commands. The Foundation was incorporated in the 

Commonwealth of Virginia, June 25, 1980, as The Marine Corps Command and Staff College 

Foundation.
69

The focus of Marine Corps education has always been on fostering effective leadership. Since 

its inception, the Foundation has supported this objective by sponsoring numerous educational 

programs, such as, The Major General John H. Russell Leadership Conference, The General 

Graves B. Erskine Distinguished Lecture Series, The Major General Matthew C. Horner Chair of 

Military Theory, The Brigadier General H.L. Oppenheimer Chair of Warfighting Strategy, The 

Guy P. and Vivien Wyser-Pratte Humanitarian Operations Chair, The Robert A. Lutz 

Distinguished Chair of Military Studies, and The Distinguished Chair of Contemporary Military 

Affairs. Additional support is provided for The Marine Corps Media Symposium, The General 

Gerald C. Thomas Endowment Fund for Amphibious Warfare Research, The Command and 

Control Systems School Symposium, The Basic School Reflection Series, and The Walter K. 

Singleton Lecture Series. The Foundation also sponsors several student and faculty awards for 

research and teaching excellence.

The activities of the Foundation are directed by its Board of Trustees, distinguished American 

leaders in business, education and the military, and is managed by the Chief Executive Officer 

located at Quantico. More information about the Foundation can be obtained by writing to:

Chief Executive Officer

The Marine Corps University Foundation, Inc.

PO Box 122

Quantico VA 22134

(703) 640-6835

CHAIR HOLDERS FOR ACADEMIC YEAR (AY) 2003-2004

Major General Matthew C. Horner Chair of Military Theory

Dr. Ian F. W. Beckett, former Professor of Modern History, University of Luton, United 

Kingdom, and current Chairman of the Council of the Army Records Society. This is Dr. 

Beckett’s second year at Marine Corps University. The Horner Chair provides a one-year, 

resident scholar who lectures at all the University schools and offers an elective at the Command 

and Staff College (CSC). 

Brigadier General H. L. Oppenheimer Chair of Warfighting Strategy

Dr. Tom Marks, author and Department of Defense consultant on counterinsurgency. The 

Oppenheimer Chair provides the University with a preeminent visiting scholar in the area of 

military history or national security affairs. 

Vivien and Guy Wyser-Pratte Humanitarian Operations Chair

Mr. H. Roy Williams, former Director of the Office of U. S. Foreign Disaster Assistance. This 

Chair provides subject matter experts to support the University’s diverse curricula. He has 

supported the College’s Military Operations Other Than War Course and lectured on “MilitaryNongovernmental Organization Relations During Humanitarian Assistance Operations.”
70

Donald Bren Chair of Ethics and Leadership

A new (AY 2003-2004) academic chair funded by Mr. Donald Bren, a former Marine officer and 

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Irvine Company. TBD.

Donald Bren Chair of Innovation and Transformation

A new (AY 2003-2004) academic chair funded by Mr. Donald Bren, a former Marine officer and 

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Irvine Company. TBD.

Robert A. Lutz Distinguished Chair of Military Studies

Major General Donald R. Gardner, USMC (Ret.), Chief Executive Officer, Marine Corps 

University Foundation. General Gardner brings to the University over forty years of Marine Corps 

command and staff experience at a variety of levels. His academic interests are equally varied. He 

lectures at each of the University’s schools throughout the year and taught a highly-rated elective 

entitled “Challenges to U. S. Interests in Northeast Asia” at CSC in AYs 2001, 2002 and 2003.

Distinguished Chair of Contemporary Military Affairs

This chair provides the University with numerous academic experts in contemporary issues to 

augment the individual school’s curriculum each year. These scholars are at the University 

throughout the year and are engaged in various educational settings.
Chapter Seven

~Academic Life~

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ACADEMIC LIFE

WEEKLY SCHEDULE. A weekly schedule is normally issued on Thursday for the following 

week’s instruction. The weekly schedule is annotated by day and hour. It will specify the 

uniform required, who will attend, the subject, security classification, instructor, location, study 

assignments, and any pertinent remarks. The weekly class schedule varies during the year 

depending upon which course is in session. 

STUDY ASSIGNMENTS. Study assignments are made to supplement classroom work and in 

preparation for classroom assignments, requirements, and discussions. All study assignments are 

published in the course syllabi and weekly schedule.

CLASSES. Students are expected to attend all class sessions unless ill or excused by their 

Faculty Advisor. QUESTIONS IN CLASS. Students will have many opportunities, and are 

highly encouraged, to ask questions during guest lectures. When students ask/answer questions, 

or make comments during the lecture, the student will (when recognized) stand, give his name, 

and then state his question or make a comment. 

CLASSIFIED MATERIAL. Classified material may be presented by guest lecturers. The 

weekly schedule will contain notification of a classified presentation. The Administrative 

Department will coordinate necessary security precautions in accordance with OPNAVINST 

P5510.1. NOTE: STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO SHOW THEIR MILITARY 

IDENTIFICATION CARD TO GAIN ACCESS TO CLASSIFIED LECTURES. 

ADDITIONALLY, ALL BRIEFCASES, BOOKS, AND NOTE-TAKING MATERIALS ARE 

PROHIBITED IN THE CLASSROOM DURING CLASSIFIED INSTRUCTION.

CLASS ORGANIZATION

Students are organized into conference groups, each having a Faculty Advisor Team consisting 

of a military Lieutenant Colonel/Commander and a civilian professor. A representative 

conference group will consist of U. S. Marines in various occupational specialties, U. S. Army, 

Navy/Coast Guard, and Air Force officers, two International Military Students (IMS), and a 

civilian student from a U. S. government agency.

Class President. The Class President is the senior U. S. Marine Corps officer in the class. The 

Class President is the Deputy Director’s (Dean of Students) primary point of contact with the 

students. The Class President coordinates the administrative, academic, athletic, social, and 

military activities of the class. The Class President will assign other class members to assist in 

the functional areas noted. Because of his/her duties to the class, the Class President will not be 

a permanent conference group leader (described below).

Class Treasurer. The student assigned as Class Treasurer will be responsible for opening and 

maintaining the class checking account. The class coffee mess dues and other social and 

operational fiscal responsibilities will be managed and coordinated by this officer.
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Class Academic Representative. Spokesperson and, when required, representative of the 

student academic board (student conference group academic reps) to the Dean of Academics. 

The Class Academic Representative will normally participate in all Course Content Review 

Boards (CCRBs). This position entails a substantial amount of additional work. The class 

academic representative is responsible for preparing a written summary of student comments and 

ratings for each course (Theory and Nature, Strategy and Policy, etc.) based on the student 

course critiques and meetings with the student academic board. These reports are due to the 

Dean of Academics prior to each CCRB. 

Class Athletic Coordinator. Responsible for coordinating the U. S. vs. International Military 

Student (IMS) soccer matches, golf days, semi-annual physical fitness tests, and other sports 

events of the College. Also serves as Chairman of the Athletic Council consisting of student 

conference group athletic reps.

Class Social Representative. Chief coordinator of the class social program. Wherein 

individual conference groups often conduct group social activities without reference to other 

seminar groups, a class social agenda is determined and executed through the combined efforts 

of the student social representatives. Specific required and optional social occasions will be 

coordinated through the faculty social representative and the Deputy Director (Dean of 

Students). Normally, this position is filled by a husband and wife team.

Permanent Conference Group Leader. The senior Marine officer in the conference group is 

designated as the conference group leader. It is his/her responsibility to organize and lead the 

group in concert with the Faculty Advisor (FA). This responsibility includes “all manner of 

things thereunto pertaining” with principal focus on “passing the word” from the Class President 

and FA down, and from the conference group, up.

CONFERENCE GROUP BILLETS

Members of the conference group will volunteer to represent the conference group in various 

functional areas and activities required to optimize the College environment. Each group will be 

required to provide representatives for the group in the following areas:

Administrative/Treasurer. Coordinates administrative and financial activities.

Academic. Serves as a representative in meetings with the Course Director, Dean of Academics, 

and class academic representative concerning student input into the continuing curriculum 

feedback and development program. Prepares a written summary of student comments and 

ratings for each core course.

Social. Coordinates the official and “unofficial” social activities of the group. Normally the 

Social rep’s spouse must also volunteer for this significant responsibility.

Athletic. Represents the group on the Athletic Council. Coordinates the student intramural 

sports activities.
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Communications/Computer. Coordinates all audiovisual and computer requirements for the 

group.

CONFERENCE GROUP ROTATION 

As much of the learning experience is gained through students’ interaction in seminars and based 

on the variety of experiences and perspectives of each, the conference groups are rotated once 

during the academic year to optimize these benefits. Additionally, this rotation broadens the 

opportunity for each student to establish personal and professional relationships beyond those of 

the parent conference group that will endure throughout the future of each officer’s career. The 

rotation will normally coincide with the Operational Level of War course. Students will return to 

their original conference groups at the end of that course.

DISTRIBUTION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL

Student Mailboxes. The College provides a mailbox for each student. In addition to personal 

mail, orders, memoranda, instructional matter, and communications for individual students will 

be placed in these boxes. Mailboxes should be checked a minimum of once each day and are to 

be used for matters directly related to the College.

Electronic Mail. E-mail accounts are set up for each student and are used to transmit memos 

from the Director, Deputy, Dean, etc. Schedule changes are also passed via e-mail. Accounts 

must be checked daily and emptied. Individual passwords should be established and protected.

Bulletin Board. Directives, memoranda, and material of specific interest to students are posted 

on the bulletin board located in the Student Lounge.

Student Message Board. A message board containing unclassified message traffic is 

maintained in the Student Lounge for student information.

Textbooks and Reference. Textbooks and reference material will be loaned to students as 

required during the course of the year. Supplements and changes to publications will be issued to 

students when received. Students are expected to enter appropriate corrections to keep their 

documents current. Additionally, as these materials are the property of the College, students are 

expected to care for texts in a manner that allows for continued use by future students. Classified 

material will be returned to the CSC Classified Material Control Officer prior to the end of the day.

SOCIAL PROGRAM

Although students chosen for the Marine Corps Command and Staff College come from every 

conceivable occupational specialty, background, and experience level, they all have one common 

desire—to get to know the classmates with whom they will serve the rest of their careers. The 

objective of the Social Program is to bring students together in an atmosphere conducive to the 

formation of these friendships. It is with this in mind that the Social Program provides 

opportunities for officers to gather together, as a class, in a relaxed and friendly setting. ALL 

social events at the College are planned, organized, and executed by the student body. Social 
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activities run the gamut from Sport’s Day picnics, to a formal Mess Night. Families are not 

forgotten, as the class hosts a family picnic in the fall and a Christmas party (including a visit by 

Santa Claus). Lifetime friendships that will literally span the globe are forged in the classroom, 

on the playing field, and in formal and informal social settings. In summary, the Social Program 

is an active part of the College program and contributes significantly to its success. 

ATHLETIC PROGRAM

The Command and Staff College encourages students to participate in Marine Corps Base 

(MCB) and University sports activities, e.g., MCU Sunset 3-Mile Run/Walk, Marine Corps 

Community Services (MCCS) Over-30 Basketball, Marine Corps Marathon, etc., and maintain 

their individual physical conditioning. The College sponsors fall and spring U. S. vs. IMS soccer 

matches, loop-run challenges, and golf tournaments. A Director’s Cup is awarded at the end of 

the year to the conference group that accumulates the highest point totals during Collegesponsored competitions. Scores from the spring Physical Fitness Test are also figured into the 

awarding of the Director’s Cup. 

PHYSICAL FITNESS TEST/WEIGHT STANDARDS. All U. S. officers are required to take 

the USMC Physical Fitness Test which is administered semiannually, usually in the 

September/October and April/May time periods. The test consists of pull-ups, crunch style situps, and a three-mile run. Women substitute the flexed arm hang for pull-ups. In addition to 

maintaining physical fitness, all officers are expected to report in and maintain themselves within 

the weight standards for their respective service throughout the academic year.

LOCKERS. Limited men’s lockers and shower facilities are available in the basement of Ellis 

Hall (adjacent to Breckinridge). The women’s facility is in the western end of the complex in 

Dunlap Hall.

INTERNATIONAL MILITARY STUDENT PROGRAM

Since 1943, hundreds of International Military Students (IMS) have attended Command and 

Staff College. Each year there are 26 field grade officers who represent the army, navy, air 

force, special forces, and naval infantry/marine corps of their respective countries. These 

officers attend the course alongside their U. S. classmates, with the exception of limited 

classified instruction.

The IMS officers arrive at the College approximately one month prior to the start of the regular 

course. This early arrival includes three weeks of orientation where he learns about the Quantico 

area, tours the College, is introduced to the personal computers and e-mail systems, and learns to 

use base services. Additional classes provide the student a foundation in U. S. history, politics, 

government, and human rights. Especially important is the student’s first look at the Marine AirGround Task Force.

Following orientation, they participate in a comprehensive American Studies and Military 

Education Program in parallel with the regular course of instruction. The American Studies 

program consists of forums, seminars, and field trips exposing them to as much of American life as 
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possible within the academic year. This program also includes visits to numerous local, state and 

federal government facilities in the Washington, DC area, the capitol complex, Supreme Court, 

and the White House. The IMS officer may also receive briefings at the State Department, 

National Security Agency, and other local, state, and federal agencies, as well as visits with 

respective government officials. Additionally, officers attend plays, various cultural events, and 

visit historical sites such as Yorktown, Monticello and Williamsburg. Attention is also paid to 

industry through trips to factories and talks with management and labor representatives.

In addition to examining cultural, social and government issues, the IMS officers also participate 

in an extensive military education program of field trips to military bases and facilities of all the 

services across the country. These trips enhance understanding of the quality of service life, 

force structure, weapons procurement, and the fundamentals of joint/combined organization and 

operations, as well as complement the regular course curriculum.

As one would expect, the international officers are sponsored by volunteers from among their U. S. 

classmates while in this country. Military sponsors provide assistance to the officers and their 

families as they settle into the Quantico area and throughout the academic year. Sponsors are often 

true “lifesavers” as they help their international classmates adapt to U. S. life, culture, and the 

academic rigor of the College. Additionally, local Rotary Clubs volunteer to sponsor IMS officers 

throughout the academic year, providing them a civilian perspective on life in the United States. 

Although a tremendous emphasis is placed on educating the international officer, any U. S. officer 

who has attended the course would quickly affirm that the process is definitely a two-way street. 

Personal and professional relationships developed during the year become very strong and stand 

the test of time. This program adds an important dimension and quality to the College.

The following countries are represented in the Class of 2004: Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, 

Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, France, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Korea, 

Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, 

United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. If you are interested in sponsoring an 

international officer, please contact the CSC IMS Coordinator, CDR Ed Phillips at DSN: 278-

1007 or 703-784-1007.
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GLOSSARY OF TERMS

To help the officer new to the College understand some of the terms and acronyms most 

frequently used in this catalog, the following glossary is offered:

Academic Year (AY): The period from Convocation (August) to Graduation (June), during 

which the students participate in the CSC Curriculum.

Assistant Instructors (AI): Faculty members working in support of a Course Director.

Chair: One of the academic positions filled by experts in a field related to the College’s 

curriculum for a specific time period. All of the Chairs provide lectures, sit in on seminars, and 

advise on their particular area of expertise. These positions are funded by the Marine Corps 

University Foundation or a U. S. Government Agency.

Command and Staff College (CSC): Unless otherwise modified, this is the military 

organization and the combined schools of the College described as one.

Command and Staff College Curriculum: The curriculum for the Command and Staff College 

Intermediate-Level School (ILS).

Conference Group (CG): The collective membership of students assigned to one of 12 groups 

during the Academic Year. Rotation of students occurs at various points in the Academic Year 

to achieve greater student interaction and exposure to more diverse conference group 

discussions.

Course: A related grouping of instructional blocks taken together to form a major subdivision of 

a curriculum. Example: Theory and Nature of War is a course within the Command and Staff 

College Curriculum.

Course Director (CD): The faculty member responsible for the successful completion of 

classes and blocks within a given course of instruction. CDs are responsible for course 

development, administration, and implementation. They may have assistant course directors 

assigned to them for their course. 

Course Syllabus: A publication prepared for each course which describes the educational 

objectives, the methodology to be used, student requirements, recurring themes, course critiques, 

and the schedule of instruction.

Faculty Advisor (FA) Team: The faculty pair, one military member (O5) and one civilian 

professor, together are the principal mentors and advisors for a designated conference group.

ILS: Intermediate-Level School (O4 level officers)
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IMS: International Military Student. Refers to the officers attending CSC/SAW as 

service/national representatives of their respective countries.

JPME: Joint Professional Military Education. The process by which officers are educated in 

the integrated employment of land, sea, air, and space forces at all levels of war.

MAGTF: Marine Air-Ground Task Force.

Marine Corps War College (MCWAR): Senior service school for selected U. S. Lieutenant 

Colonels/Commanders.

Marine Corps University (MCU): The parent organization for all Marine Corps Professional 

Military Education (PME) schools and colleges.

Marine Corps University Foundation (MCUF): A private, non-profit organization operated 

exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. The Foundation is dedicated to enhancing 

the advanced professional military education of students assigned to the Marine Corps University 

in important areas where Federal funds are not available.

Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC): Responsible for all schools, 

requirements definition, and doctrinal activities for the Marine Corps.

OPMEP: Officer Professional Military Education Policy. The policy of the Chairman, Joint 

Chiefs of Staff, for coordinating the joint military education of members of the U. S. Armed 

Forces. This document establishes the objectives for JPME.

PSPT: Professional Study and Preparation Time. Duty time set aside in the weekly schedule 

specifically to supplement after-hours reading, writing, and study on subjects related to the 

curriculum.

Read: Read material to understand the scope of the subject; be prepared to locate the material 

again as a reference.

Recurring Themes: Recurring themes represent a specific means to link the various courses, 

exercises, case studies, and joint education goals and objectives of the curriculum.

Review: Reread material to recall basic concepts.

Scan: Quickly but thoroughly browse through the material for familiarity with central points and 

overall focus.

School: A complete program of instruction for a distinct student body. As an example, SAW is 

a school within the Command and Staff College.
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School of Advanced Warfighting (SAW): Second year, advanced-study school for selected 

ILS graduates from all of the U. S. military services and highly qualified International Military 

Student Officers.

Seminar: A period of discussion that takes place within a conference group--normally preceded 

by lectures and reading assignments. The seminar, by design, is where students discuss the 

issues for consideration and are expected to provide comment and opinion--drawing from their 

operational, service or agency experience. The seminar is where the student is furnished the 

means of acquiring practical, and practiced, knowledge in everything from the Operational Art to 

the Art of Command. 

Skim: Glance through quickly for easy reference.

Study: Read material carefully, fix the basic principles in mind, and be prepared to discuss 

when directed.
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