Speaking Feb. 11 to 200 attendees at the Association of the United States Army’s Institute of Land Warfare breakfast in suburban Washington, Lt. Gen. William Caldwell said, “We elevated stability operations to be just as critical as offensive and defensive operations,” adopted a comprehensive approach to warfighting and allowed the Army “to re-tool training and education.”

            He used the Army chief of staff, Gen. George W. Casey’s description of a middleweight fighter to describe the Army of the future ability to adjust to different weight classes and be successful. “Our Army must be equally versatile [and] lethal,” Casey said.

            “Leaders must have the flexibility of mind to stay ahead of this changing environment,” Caldwell said. “We need officers to be competent, confident and creative communicators.”

            The Command and General Staff College, and its center at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., are changing as well, especially in developing “creative and critical thinking.”

The college is also offering more spots -- at no cost -- to other agencies in the government and would send an officer to fill a student’s spot.

            Although 20 slots were open, only seven students from other agencies attended the staff college. 

The reasons why so few, in Caldwell’s eyes, include supervisors not “wanting to give them up for a year” and other agencies is because they “don’t have a culture of education” that is similar to the military’s.

            Caldwell said that bringing more students from agencies outside the Defense Department to Leavenworth was increasingly important because of the nature of operations involving civilian agencies and the military.

He said, “We are integrating our interagency partners at the training centers and pre-deployment exercises.”

            The center also has established a directorate for complex operations.

            “We are looking at a major expansion of the School of Advanced Military Studies,” a second year of education at Leavenworth. Caldwell said the school would add a third more students and the focus of its work will be on Afghanistan.

            Caldwell said center is standing up the Army Physical Fitness Readiness Institute annex, in part, to address a growing challenge in the officer ranks at the 10- to 14-year mark. “It’s a lifestyle change” to control weight and improve physical fitness and a program that will also be used at the Sergeants’ Major Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas.

            At the same time, the center is welcoming command sergeants major and warrant officer to classes at the staff college 

The curriculum at the staff college is changing.

Now students will have to blog, write an opposite-editorial page column and do a media opportunity.

            Caldwell said the center is also reaching out to a broader audience than the Army. He cited an improved Web site as an example. 

The revised site saw hits rise from 25,000 a month to 250,000 hits a month by making it more interactive, relevant and easier to navigate.

            IAI, an AUSA sustaining member, sponsored the breakfast.