(Sarah Hauck, CGSC Public Affairs) The Command and General Staff Officers Course Class of 2026 graduated May 29, 2026 in a ceremony in the Eisenhower Auditorium of the Lewis and Clark Center on Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

The 951 graduates of this year’s class experienced reformed and modernized curriculum that reflected the rapid technological and tactical advancements dictated by the current operational environment.

They navigated unexpected learning environment and academic calendar shifts.

With more than 30 years of military and leadership experience, Lt. Gen. Jim Isenhower, commanding general, U.S. Army Combined Arms Command and Fort Leavenworth, told the class that the responsibility placed on them as graduates of CGSOC is to be the conductor of the locomotive, prepared through the academic rigor they conquered over the last 10 months.

“You can influence all the way down to a private every day as a Battalion S3 or XO. And you’ve also got the opportunity and will be expected to influence all the way up to the senior leaders of our Army. You’re at the center. You are the most important demographic in our Army,” Isenhower said.

During his commencement address, Isenhower reflected on his leadership transition following his own CGSOC graduation.

Field-grade leadership was something he’d only observed, but quickly learned the impact, good or bad, would have lasting impressions on more than just his career.

A single conversation, and high-performing Soldier’s decision to leave service directly impacted Isenhower’s leadership style and view of field-grade officers.

He challenged each of the graduates to approach their next assignments with courage to challenge the late-night work parties, and missed bedtime stories.

The graduates are at pivotal times not only in their careers, Isenhower explained, but also in their lives.

Early in his own field-grade time Isenhower explained establishing non-negotiable working hours to ensure his teams were home, putting in their second shift of life, on a regular, predictable basis.

“I realized field grades are stewards of the profession, and they have an obligation to inspire future service, not to discourage it…that shaped how I approached my field grade time,” Isenhower said.

The inspiration of service doesn’t stop within the walls of the unit headquarters, extending to those of the home.

According to Isenhower, nearly 30% of the Army’s volunteer force comes “from the Army”, emphasizing the example being set by graduates of true work-life balance.

Isenhower concluded with a reiteration of expectations of the graduates’ new leaders, which included performing at levels far beyond those of their peers, but also to establish leadership philosophies that focused on work-life balance and implemented through their own unwavering example.

“I’m already proud of what you’re going to do,” he said. “I think you and our families for taking this on and investing in all of our Soldiers and their families.”

The following individuals were recognized for their dedication to stewarding the Army profession:

The General George C. Marshall Award is presented to the distinguished United States graduate of each class
– Major Andrew L. Scholl, Transportation Corps
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from the Veterans of Foreign Wars; CGSC Foundation Alumni Association Life Membership compliments of First Command

The General Dwight D. Eisenhower Award is presented to the distinguished international officer of each class
– Maj. Aleksander Granberg, Norway
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from the David G. Beaham Memorial Fund; CGSC Foundation Alumni Association Life Membership compliments of First Command

The General Douglas MacArthur Military Leadership Writing Award recognizes scholarship and professional writing on military leadership
– Maj. Prabhat Mishra, India
Sponsored by the General Douglas MacArthur Foundation

The Arter-Darby Military History Writing Award goes to the student for excellent scholarship and writing in military history
– Maj. Paul D. Mackey, Infantry
Sponsored by Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Robert Arter and the Edith and Harry Darby Foundation

The Arter-Doniphan Award goes to the class graduate who earned the highest overall grade point average
– Maj. Aleksander Granberg, Norway
Sponsored by Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Robert Arter and the Alexander Doniphan Committee

The General John J. Pershing Award recognizes the outstanding non-resident graduate of the Command and General Staff Officer Course via distance learning
– Maj. Aloysius J. Hunter, Engineers, U.S. Army Reserve

The Iron Major Award goes to the student who finishes first in a grueling series of events designed to test endurance and strength
– (Male): Maj. Andrew W. Stoafer, Infantry
– (Female) Maj. JaLyssa J. Walker, Transportation Corps
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation

Armed Forces Communications Electronics Association (AFCEA) Excellence in Information Warfare Writing Award
– Maj. Ryan D. Menge, U.S. Air Force
Sponsored by the Armed Forces Communications Electronics Association

The Lieutenant Colonel Boyd McCanna Harris Leadership Award is presented for recognized superior research by a resident CGSOC student in the field of Organizational Leadership
– Maj. Christopher A. Watson, Infantry
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from Gary and Moira Sinise

The Birrer-Brooks Award recognizes the most outstanding Master of Military Art and Science Thesis
– Maj. Prabhat Mishra, India
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from Col. (Ret.) and Mrs. Doug Tystad

The Major General Hans Schlup Award recognizes the importance of relationships developed among the network of friends and professional acquaintances made while attend the Command and General Staff College
– Lt. Col. Faleh S. F. H. H. Alrashid, Kuwait
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from the CGSOC Class of 1978

The General James M. Wright Award is presented to the distinguished master sustainer in each class
– Maj. Andrew L. Scholl, Transportation Corps
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from Lt. Col. (Ret.) and Mrs. Robert Myers

The General George S. Patton Award is presented to the distinguished master tactician in each class
– Maj. Jordan J. Downey, Field Artillery
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from Col. (Ret.) and Mrs. Doug Tystad

Homeland Security Studies Award
– Maj. Alex Kennedy, Medical Service Corps
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation

The Excellence in Joint Service Warfare Award is awarded to the student who contributes most significantly to the study of joint service warfare
– Maj. Alaina M. Brooks, U.S. Marine Corps
Sponsored by the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA)

The Brigadier General Benjamin H. Grierson Award goes to the student who demonstrates excellence in strategic studies
– Maj. Tara C. Santon, Public Affairs
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation

The Father Donald Smythe Award recognizes excellence in military history
– Maj. Luke F. Donaldson, U.S. Marine Corps
Sponsored by Armed Forces Insurance

The Simons Center Interagency Writing Award recognizes scholarship that advances interagency cooperation, coordination and collaboration
– Chaplain (Maj.) Scott A. Lovejoy
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from Mr. H. Ross Perot

On May 28, the day prior to the class graduation, the international officers in the class received their International Graduate Badges in a ceremony hosted by CGSC Commandant Col. Ethan Diven and CGSC Dean of Academics David Cotter, Ph.D. That afternoon, members of the class that earned their Master of of Military Arts and Science were recognized in a “hooding ceremony” in the Eisenhower Auditorium.

The CGSOC Class of 2026 included 951 total graduates of which 951 were Army (Active, Reserve, National Guard); 68 from the U.S. Air Force, 12 from the U.S. Navy; 25 from the U.S. Marine Corps; one from the U.S. Space Force; two government civilians; and 120 international students.

The 2026 class earned 54 Master of Military Arts and Science degrees; 860 Master of Operational Science degrees; and 155 Advanced Warfighter Certificates.

For photos of all the awardees and the ceremony see the CGSC Flickr album

Watch video of the complete graduation ceremony

For photos from the International Officer Badge ceremony on May 28, 2026, see the CGSC Flickr album

Watch video of the International Officer Badge Ceremony on May 28, 2026

For photos from MMAS Hooding ceremony on May 28, 2026, see the CGSC Flickr album

The School of Advanced Military Studies’ latest graduating class, celebrated May 21, 2026, in a ceremony on Fort Leavenworth, spent 10 months preparing to be the strategic response to the military’s call for answers to the historic change of the national security picture.

Speed and unpredictability are foundational focuses of SAMS’ three programs Col. Dwight Domengeaux Jr., director, SAMS said, calling each a “warrior scholar prepared to meet the highest priority of the nation and allies.”

“These graduates are ready now. They’ll immediately help commanders in the operational force to fight and win in a complex environment. In fact, several members of the 2026 class departed early, and are already on their way to operational deployments, where commanders will expect them to perform on day one, and the soldiers on the line are depending on their confidence and leadership,” he explained.

A total of 129 master’s and doctorate degrees were conferred to graduates of the Advanced Military Studies Program, the Advanced Strategic Leadership Studies Program, and the Advanced Strategic Planning and Policy Program.

SAMS curriculum is practicum-driven, and experience focused to include nearly a dozen hands-on exercises, 800 contact hours, a 10,000-word monograph, and direct planning support to division and corps of Ukraine, U.S. Army Combined Arms Command and other combatant commands.

Guest speaker Maj. Gen. Trevor Bredenkamp, President and Commanding General, Army University, explained SAMS is a program with no joint-force equivalent, emphasizing the graduates’ educational significance to national security.

This level of strategic, operational thinking becomes a “habit of mind”, Bredenkamp said, that will be tested from day one.

“Be Ready. Be confident. SAMS has prepared you well. Senior leaders fight to receive SAM graduates. That is why they put you in the most challenging positions,” he said.

Bredenkamp’s wife is a SAMS graduate, which provided him a personal experience with senior leader expectations of SAMS planners.

To combat the potential pressures of their next assignments, Bredenkamp gave graduates three pieces of guidance; maintain an appropriate perspective, bring solutions, speak up.

He explained that perspective should remain beyond the tactical issue plaguing a command.

While more than capable of solving that level of problem, the investment in their careers lives beyond the obvious, he said.

“Your commander did not bring you in to solve the tactical problem. The reason they brought you onto the team is the second order problem that the tactical problem was hiding,” Bredenkamp said.

Solutions created by SAMS graduates may be imperfect, but are innate to their critical and creative thinking skills the joint force must capitalize on, Bredenkamp explained.

“You were trained to do something most staff officers cannot do, which is hold a complex problem in your head long enough to design a way through it,” he said.

Finally, the inaugural president of Army University challenged the graduates to communicate, specifically risk, with confidence.

“SAMs has prepared you to be the person to speak up when others are silent. You don’t have to speak loudly or theatrically. Just speak clearly. Truthfully, and with conviction, because that is what your commander deserves, and they will appreciate you. Maybe not the first time, but eventually,” he said.

“You are all part of a noble profession, and as SAMS graduates will be held to a higher standard where much is expected. I know you are up to the task,” Bredenkamp concluded.

This year’s ceremony also recognized the founder of SAMS, retired Brig. Gen. Huba Wass de Czege, who died November 25, 2025.

In addition, the following students were presented awards for their performance during their time at SAMS:

Iron Leader Award: Maj. Kory Osigian, U.S. Army
Presented to the student with the highest physical fitness as assessed by the highest overall score on the Army Fitness Test.

Lt. Col. Michael “Scott” Flurry Award: Lt. Col. Tyler Folan, U.S. Marine Corps
Presented to the top Joint Service graduate who best exemplifies the full spectrum of attributes embodied by distinguished former AMSP graduate—the late Marine Lieutenant Colonel Michael “Scott” Flurry—and his legacy of academic excellence, physical fitness, and superior leadership.

Maj. Gen. Edwin Harding Award: Dr. Barry Stentiford and Maj. Ronald Apostle
Presented to one faculty member and one student fortheir outstanding contribution to professional military journals as assessed by the school leadership.

Col. Arthur D. Simons Center for the Study of Interagency Cooperation Award:
Lt. Col. Jacob Griego
Presented to the author of the best monograph on an interagency topic.

Best Class Monograph: Col. Joerg Vitoschek, Federal Republic of Germany
Presented to the student in both ASLSP and AMSP whose research paper is judged to be the best in the class.

Best AMSP Monograph: Maj. Kaleb Castillo
Presented to the student with the best monograph from AMSP.

Col. Thomas Felts Leadership Award: Maj. Karlos E. Febus, U.S. Army
Presented to the student who best exemplifies all the desired attributes of an Advanced Military Studies Program graduate. Named in honor of Col. Thomas Felts, who graduated from AMSP in 1998 and was a student in the SAMS senior service program in 2005. He was killed in action in Iraq in 2006 while serving as an advisor to the Iraqi Army.

Watch the full ceremony on the CGSC YouTube channel

For more photos see the CGSC Flickr album

Click here to download a pdf version

Inside this Edition

• From the Chairman
• From the President/CEO
• Q&A with the CAC CG
• International Hall of Fame
• Update from the Commandant
• CGSS: The CGSC Integrated Decision Advantage Center
• SAMS: Preventing AI-driven groupthink
• SCP: Forging Future Commanders
• Col. Roger H.C. Donlon bust dedication
• National Security Roundtable
• 2026 Ethics Symposium
• Simons Center Update
• Arter-Rowland National Security Forum
• Des Moines National Security Forum
• Distinguished Speaker Series
• 2026 Scholarship Program winners
• Guest Editorial – Australians at CGSC
• Alumni Updates
• Special Donations
• In Memoriam
• In Print

The CGSC Foundation and Alumni Association and its Simons Center hosted an Arter-Rowland National Security Forum luncheon event on May 21, 2026, at the Carriage Club in Kansas City. The event featured a presentation entitled “Presidential Decision Making” by Jason J. Galui, director of the Endicott College Center for Civic Participation.

The CGSC Foundation’s Simons Center Director and ARNSF program leader Col. (Ret.) Todd Schmidt kicked off the Forum welcoming the ARNSF members and their guests. After lunch, he introduced Galui.

During his presentation Galui discussed the various positions he had held in his Army career in which he was involved in the national security policy process. His duties included service on the National Security Council (NSC) for the Obama administration from September 2014 to January 2017, through the presidential transition to the first Trump administration on the NSC from January-May 2017, and later on the Council of Economic Advisors from August 2019 to July 2020.

Galui provided an overview of the NSC mission and the general process the NSC uses to develop policy to help drive presidential decisions. He also provided an overview of the NSC’s evolution and engagement with administrations going back to the Carter administration, hitting the high points of the various challenges each president faced and how they personally worked with the NSC.

After the presentation and an extensive question and answer period, Schmidt presented Galui with a small gift in appreciation for his time with the Forum. Schmidt also provided information about future ARNSF gatherings.

For more photos see the CGSC Foundation Flickr album

Jason J. Galui leads the Endicott College Center for Civic Participation and serves as the College Fellow for Civics. Originally from Beverly, Massachusetts, Jason returned to his hometown in early 2026 after more than 30 years of service to the country.

Most recently Galui was the director for Veterans and Military Families at the George W. Bush Institute and taught “Presidential Decision Making” at the John G. Tower Center for Public Policy and International Affairs at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.

Throughout a unique military career, Galui led soldiers into combat during the U.S. invasion of Iraq; deployed to Kabul from 2011 to 2012, where he served as a strategic adviser to the commanding general of the NATO Training Mission–Afghanistan; taught economics to two generations of West Point cadets; directly advised the 18th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon; and served in both the Obama and Trump White Houses.

As deputy executive secretary of the National Security Council and chief of staff to the national security adviser, Galui was a key point of continuity during the 2017 presidential transition. His final assignment in the U.S. Army was as senior adviser for national security at the White House Council of Economic Advisers from 2019 to 2020.

Galui earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a master’s degree in economics from the University of Texas at Austin. He and his wife, Samantha, also an Army combat veteran, have been married for more than 22 years and have two children.

The Arter-Rowland National Security Forum (ARNSF) is an
exclusive professional information sharing and networking program.

The Arter-Rowland National Security Forum (ARNSF) is led by the CGSC Foundation and Alumni Association and its Simons Center and is an exclusive professional information sharing and networking forum for those interested in keeping abreast of relevant information about national security issues.

Members of the Forum and their guests meet periodically at guest speaker events in downtown Kansas City. National and regional guest speakers representing all elements of national power (Diplomatic, Informational, Military and Economic) highlight the meetings. The Forum is nonpartisan, but elected government officials may present from time to time.

The Forum is named after Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Robert Arter, Founding Chairman of the CGSC Foundation, and Mr. Landon Rowland, the Foundation’s first major donor who was well-known in Kansas City for his keen interest in national security issues and his leadership in business and philanthropy.

ARNSF events are only open to ARNSF members and their guests. If you are not a member but are interested in joining, contact the CGSC Foundation.

The Arter-Rowland National Security Forum is sponsored by:

The CGSC Foundation and Alumni Association and its Simons Center hosted the second lecture of the 2026 Distinguished Speaker Series at the Lewis and Clark Center on Fort Leavenworth, Kansas on May 20, 2026. In this installment of the series, Jason J. Galui, director of the Endicott Center for Civic Participation, delivered a presentation entitled “Marching Towards a More Perfect Union.”

The evening began with a reception, followed by the CGSC Foundation’s Simons Center Director Todd Schmidt welcoming the attendees and recognizing sponsors. After the dinner period Schmidt introduced Peter Im, Ph.D., the faculty advisor for the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College Information Advantage Scholars Program, who spoke to the attendees about the program and the support the CGSC Foundation had provided over time. After Im’s remarks, Schmidt introduced Galui.

In recognition of the 250th anniversary of our United States, Galui said he seeks to inspire a new commitment to patriotism. If “We the People” are committed to securing the “blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity,” then each of us has essential duties and obligations to perform – as individuals and as a collective – in order to form a more perfect union.

“When I think about a more perfect union, I think about a society where citizens of various backgrounds of beliefs, commit to viewing one another as equal members of society,” Galui said. “One in which we learn from one another. We honor one another. We commit to one another. We enable one another to pursue our dreams and our hopes….’We’ is the first word in our Constitution. It’s ‘we.’ It’s not ‘I,’ it’s not ‘you,’ it’s not ‘me, except you.’ – It is ‘we.’ It is first person plural.”

Galui said the founders of our nation chose “we” to keep all of us together. He said that throughout 2026, we’ll likely hear a lot about the Declaration of Independence, but in his mind, it’s about the Constitution.

“The Constitution is a document that has persevered through intense trials and errors, to overcome the selfishness of human nature, and inspire intense collaboration, cooperation and compromise,” Galui said. “It has always been challenged throughout our history, and 2026 is no different than 1876.”

He framed the conversation with the idea of “perseverance” and that previous generations of Americans – from 1785, to 1865, to 1945 – all had to demonstrate perseverance at those points in U.S. history where the fate of the nation was at stake. Galui said that in 2026, it is our turn to persevere.

Even today, Galui said that all Americans must renew our commitment if we wish to secure our liberty for ourselves and our prosperity.

“It’s our turn to renew the bonding American principles and values,” he said. “To honestly hold ourselves accountable. It’s our turn to renew the national ambition of America, which is to me, the pursuit of a more perfect union, recognizing that we probably will never get there, but the pursuit is the way we get better. Perseverance has to be done by loving our fellow countrymen.”

Galui concluded his formal remarks talking about the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the framework for our system of self governance in the Constitution.

“To collaborate, cooperate or to compromise requires perseverance,” Galui said. “You need to talk sensible, speak the truth, work hard, remain faithful to the fundamental principles and values that make America, America…Americans before us persevered because they were bold and audacious. Time will tell whether our generation will follow in their footsteps.”

After Galui’s remarks Schmidt led a Q&A period, after which he presented Galui with a small gift in appreciation for his participation in the Distinguished Speaker Series.

For more photos see the CGSC Foundation Flickr album

Jason J. Galui leads the Endicott College Center for Civic Participation and serves as the College Fellow for Civics. Originally from Beverly, Massachusetts, Jason returned to his hometown in early 2026 after more than 30 years of service to the country.

Most recently Galui was the director for Veterans and Military Families at the George W. Bush Institute and taught “Presidential Decision Making” at the John G. Tower Center for Public Policy and International Affairs at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.

Throughout a unique military career, Galui led soldiers into combat during the U.S. invasion of Iraq; deployed to Kabul from 2011 to 2012, where he served as a strategic adviser to the commanding general of the NATO Training Mission–Afghanistan; taught economics to two generations of West Point cadets; directly advised the 18th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon; and served in both the Obama and Trump White Houses.

As deputy executive secretary of the National Security Council and chief of staff to the national security adviser, Galui was a key point of continuity during the 2017 presidential transition. His final assignment in the U.S. Army was as senior adviser for national security at the White House Council of Economic Advisers from 2019 to 2020.

Galui earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a master’s degree in economics from the University of Texas at Austin. He and his wife, Samantha, also an Army combat veteran, have been married for more than 22 years and have two children.

The CGSC Foundation and Alumni Association through its Simons Center conducts the Distinguished Speaker Series (DSS) program to offer extracurricular, educational lectures intended to help enrich the Command and General Staff School curriculum and provide opportunities for outreach to the public. Topics covered in the Distinguished Speaker Series of lectures span the gamut of leadership and ethics, organizational effectiveness, collaboration, as well as current events and issues in business, government and the military. Programs are made possible in part by sponsors.

~ Thank you to our 2026 DSS Sponsors ~

~Five Stars~

Pritzker Military Foundation
The Tim and Karen Carlin Family Foundation

~Four Stars~

Armed Forces Insurance

~Three Stars~

Col. (Ret.) Bill and Marge Eckhardt
First Command
Col. (Ret.) Bob and Terri Ulin

~Two Stars~

Demaranville & Associate, CPAs
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Rich and Mary Ann Keller
Shetlar Law Firm

~One Star~

Advantage Printing
Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Stan Cherrie
Col. (Ret.) Tom and Candy Dials
Geiger Ready-Mix
Col. (Ret.) Todd and Leslie Schmidt

(by Pvt. 1st Class Wilfred Salters, U.S. Army Combined Arms Command) Fort Leavenworth honored its latest inductees into the Fort Leavenworth Hall of Fame, May 13, 2026 at the Lewis and Clark Center.

Maj. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis and retired Brig. Gen. Colleen L. McGuire were recognized for their significant contributions to the achievement, tradition and history of Fort Leavenworth and the U.S. armed forces.

“Today is a special day. It is a special day for our community because we get to honor two individuals who, through their honor, duty and integrity, have given so much to the Army and Fort Leavenworth,” Maj. Gen. Karen Monday-Gresham, the U.S. Army Combined Arms deputy commanding general – United States Army Reserves, U.S. Army said. “These inductees represent guideposts for how Army officers should conduct themselves.”

Maj. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis was born in Champlain, New York, on Feb. 3, 1805, and graduated from the U.S. Military Academy West Point in 1831. In 1861, Curtis was named head of the District of Southwest Missouri and ordered to clear the state of Confederates because of his extensive military experience.

His most important contribution to Fort Leavenworth came in 1864 when he led the Union to victory at both the Battle of Pea Ridge and the capture of Helena, Arkansas, a key Mississippi River port. In 1864, he was appointed head of the newly established Department of Kansas at Fort Leavenworth, where he eventually ended major Confederate operations west of the Mississippi River.

Dr. Curtis S. King, a retired U.S. Army major and former Fort Leavenworth history instructor, accepted the honor on Curtis’s behalf.

“Curtis had to be very tactically adept,” King said. “He is an undefeated general, and there aren’t many of those around. He won at Pea Ridge, he won Westport — which was three days’ worth of battle — and again at Mine Creek, so Sam Curtis knew his tactics.”

“He was not only an undefeated general, he was the savior of Fort Leavenworth,” King added. The second leader honored at the ceremony was Retired Brig. Gen. Colleen L. McGuire, whose induction spotlights a modern legacy of pioneering leadership. This lifelong commitment to the uniform started with a critical choice she made just after finishing high school.

McGuire enlisted in the Army Reserve after high school while attending the University of Montana. Upon graduation, she received a Regular Army commission and branched into the Military Police Corps.

In 1992, she graduated from Fort Leavenworth’s Command and General Staff College. From there, she took on many assignments, including operations officer for the 16th Military Police Brigade, public affairs officer for Joint Task Force-Somalia, executive officer for the 503rd Military Police Battalion, and public affairs officer for United States Army Alaska.

After an assignment to the Office of the Secretary of the Army at the Pentagon, she returned to Fort Leavenworth to command the 705th Military Police Battalion. She later served as commandant of the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks. In 2006, McGuire deployed to Baghdad for 19 months as provost marshal for the Multi-National Corps-Iraq. In 2008, she was promoted to brigadier general and appointed commanding general of the Army’s Criminal Investigation Command. She retired in 2012.

“Today, with great humility, I accept this honor not as a recognition of individual achievement alone but as a reflection of the people, the mentors, the soldiers, the leaders who’ve shaped my journey and the extraordinary institution that is Fort Leavenworth,” McGuire said.

The Fort Leavenworth Hall of Fame, established in 1969, recognizes individuals whose service at the post significantly shaped the Army’s history, reputation and mission. With the induction of Curtis and McGuire, Fort Leavenworth honors both its origins and its ongoing commitment to leadership, education and excellence.

Watch video of the full ceremony on the Combined Arms Command Facebook page

For more photos see the DVIDS article

The CGSC Foundation and its Simons Center hosted a gathering of the Des Moines National Security Forum (DMNSF) at the Des Moines Embassy Club West in West Des Moines, Iowa on April 29, 2026. This presentation of the forum featured a discussion about building ethical organization led by Trent J. Lythgoe, Ph.D., an associate professor of military leadership and the Fox Conner Chair for Leadership Studies at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Simons Center Director Todd Schmidt provided welcome remarks, recognized the sponsors and after lunch, introduced Lythgoe.

In his remarks Lythgoe said although a leader’s personal integrity and ethical example matter, they are not enough to create an ethical organization. He said leaders must also build an ethical culture — a system of shared beliefs and values that drive ethical behavior. Leaders design ethical cultures by aligning formal systems, such as policies, training, and incentives, with informal systems, such as rituals, stories, and heroes. When formal and informal systems align around ethical values, ethical behavior becomes embedded in the culture.

After his presentation, Lythgoe took questions from the audience, after which Schmidt presented him with a small gift in appreciation for his time with the Forum.

Trent J. Lythgoe, Ph.D., is an associate professor of military leadership and the Fox Conner Chair for Leadership Studies at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He teaches courses on organizational development, leadership ethics, decision-making, and professional writing. His research interests include adaptive leadership, civil-military relations, and learning organizations.

Lythgoe’s writing has been published in both civilian and military journals, and he is the lead author and editor of Professional Writing: The Command and General Staff College Writing Guide.

Lythgoe earned his doctorate in political science from the University of Kansas. Outside academia, he enjoys reading, ballroom dancing, and serving as his golden retriever’s personal concierge.

The CGSC Foundation’s Simons Center designed the Des Moines National Security Forum in the mold of its Arter-Rowland National Security Forum in Kansas City, wherein members of the forum meet periodically at guest speaker events to learn about issues related to national security. To help facilitate the new program in Des Moines, Brownells in Grinnell, Iowa, is the Simons Center’s local partner. Brownells Chairman Pete Brownell is also the Vice Chair for the Central Region of the U.S. for the CGSC Foundation’s board of trustees. The plan is to present at least four programs each year by subject matter experts on national security issues of interest to the business community.

The Des Moines National Security Forum is an exclusive professional information sharing and networking event exclusively for members of the forum and select invitees of the CGSC Foundation’s Simons Center and Brownells, the co-hosts of the Forum.

~ Thank you to our 2026 DMNSF Sponsors ~

The CGSC Foundation sponsors the College’s WorldQuest Team as part of its outreach to the Greater Kansas City community. Similar teams from local colleges, business groups and social organizations meet in the annual WorldQuest competition. Competitors respond to a series of wide-ranging questions drawn from history, geography, politics, and the arts. The emphasis is on recall of lesser-known details of international affairs, rather than understanding broader trends.   

The competition consists of six rounds of ten questions each.  Teams have 45 seconds to answer each question and record the team’s answer on an answer form.  At the end of each round, a Team member delivers the answer sheet to the judges’ table. The team’s score for the round is the number of correct answers, which means best guess, consensus answers can increase the Team’s score.

The International Relations Council holds the annual WorldQuest Global Trivial Pursuit competition for any group interested in international relations concerns.  The Council also sponsors WorldQuest competition for high schools in the Kansas City area; winning teams from this area go on to compete regionally.  Successful teams regionally go on to compete at the national level.  Kansas City area high school teams have amassed an impressive record in the competition.

The CGSC WorldQuest Team’s record in the competition has been quite good over the past several years, usually ending among the top three teams. This year proved to be an exception.

“We had a good time this year,” said one team member, “but the final score was disappointing.”  This year’s final score put the team in 10th place.

“We’ll do better next year!”   

CGSC leadership hosted a CGSC Mentor and Leadership Program end-of-year networking social at the Frontier Army Museum April 23, 2026. CGSC Commandant Col. Ethan Diven stopped by the gathering and addressed the group of mentees and mentors stressing the importance of leadership and leader development through the program.
 
The goal of the CGSC Mentor and Leadership Program is to provide opportunities for current students to meet alumni, overcoming one of the most common barriers to developing a mentor-mentee relationship – meeting a mentor.
 
The CGSC Foundation and Alumni Association continues to provide administrative and financial support to the program activities through generous donations from Angela Remington and Matt Anderson from the Leavenworth First Command office. If you want to be a part of this program as a donor, mentor, or mentee, you may contact us at office@cgscf.org, 913-651-0624, or in person at the CGSC Foundation and Alumni Association office in the Lewis and Clark Center.

A recent episode of the “Leadership & Success” podcast features special guest Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Robert L. Caslen, CGSC Foundation Trustee and Simons Center Senior Research Fellow. Season 5, episode 100 of the “Leadership & Success” podcast released April 30, 2026, captures Caslen’s thoughts on character and leadership. His message is clear: character is the ultimate leadership advantage.

Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Robert Caslen served 43 years in the U.S. Army, including seven combat and overseas deployments, culminating in his role as the 59th Superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point. He authored the Department of Defense Strategy for the Global War on Terror and later became the 29th President of the University of South Carolina. A respected voice on leadership, ethics, and national security, he co-authored The Character Edge: Leading and Winning with Integrity and wrote The Impossible Mission: The Withdrawal of U.S. Forces from Iraq. He continues to contribute to national security and leadership education as a Trustee of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College Foundation.

“Leadership & Success” with Bob Fabian “BZ” Zinga is designed to inspire and equip listeners with practical insights that positively impact the trajectory of their lives and leadership journey. Get ready to grow, lead, and succeed — starting today.

To learn more and listen to the podcast, please follow the links below.
LTG Robert Caslen, USA (Ret.): Leading the Impossible” – “Leadership & Success” Podcast