The 62 participants attending the Africa Center for Strategic Studies’ Next Generation of African Leaders Course traveled to Pennsylvania on March 22-23 to visit the U.S. Army War College at Carlisle Barracks and nearby Gettysburg National Military Park.
At Carlisle Barracks, the participants discussed the many facets of military leadership and national security strategy with Army War College faculty and staff. The following day the officers toured the Gettysburg battlefield where on July 1-3, 1863, Union and Confederate forces clashed and an estimated 46,000-51,000 troops were casualties. This was the largest number of casualties in any battle of the American Civil War and is often described as the turning point of the war.
The four-week Next Generation of African Military Leaders course began Mar. 1 and concluded Mar. 26. It provided an opportunity for participants to gain further insights about professionalism, ethics, and leadership in African militaries. During the course, the officers examined Africa’s contemporary and emerging security threats and analyzed civil-military relations on the continent to determine the role and place of professional military officers in advancing national security in democratizing states.
The majors and lieutenant colonels were selected by their countries to attend the course because of their command experience or staff responsibilities as well as their recognized leadership potential.
