ACSC hosts international students for war-gaming exercises

Participants of the Joint Air Exercise and staff discuss plans of action during Air Command and Staff College’s Joint Air Exercise and Joint War Game, held May 3-15 at Maxwell. The exercises included German officers from the German Joint Forces Command Staff College and Polish officers from Poland’s National Defence University. (Air Force photo by Senior Airman Christopher Stoltz)

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ACSC hosts international students for war-gaming exercises

Published May 15, 2012
By Senior Airman Christopher Stoltz
Air University Public Affairs

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Air Command and Staff College hosted the Joint Air Exercise and Joint War Game May 3-15, which involved 10 international officers -- seven German officers from the German Joint Forces Command Staff College and three Polish officers from Poland's National Defence University.

The Joint Air Exercise enabled students to appreciate the complex and dynamic planning and execution processes by applying them in developing the air component portion of a joint campaign plan. Students are expected to emerge with a better understanding of the dynamic processes involved in planning joint air and space operations.

The Joint War Game allowed students to analyze joint air operations planning and execution while applying joint doctrine based upon an operational-level war-game scenario. Students planned and executed air and space operations within a simplified air component environment by applying many concepts from the ACSC curriculum.

Both the German and Polish officers participated in JAEX, but only the German officers participated in JWAR.

German Maj. Andre Megow of the German Joint Forces Command Staff College, who took part in the exercise, said it is a great training tool that will help him when he returns home. He also said the groups worked together to overcome many obstacles during the exercise, including the strenuous schedule of planning and implementation in a time-critical environment.

However, for many of the officers, there was an added benefit to attending the ACSC exercise: it was the first time many had been to the United States.

"I must say it is an interesting visit," said Polish Col. Tadeusz Zielinski. "The exercise is challenging and educational, and it helps all of the officers come to a similar way of thinking, which allows us to effectively overcome the challenges we may face, whether it is an exercise like this or real world."

Zielinski said the highlight of his stay at Maxwell has been the people and the locale itself.

"The staff here is one of the most friendly, well educated and well trained group of individuals I have ever met," he said. "The people here are as important as or even more important than the exercise, and it allows our countries to bond and connect by overcoming these challenges together. I would love to have the chance to attend in the future and I would like to extend gratitude for the opportunity to be here in the first place."

Zielinski also mentioned Poland will host U.S. Air Force officers in the coming weeks when they travel to Warsaw, Poland, to participate in the Polish equivalent of the Joint Air Exercise.

"Building partnership capacity is one of the key missions of Air Command and Staff College," said Brigadier Gen. Stephen Denker, commandant, Air Command and Staff College. "We're excited to be able to include students and faculty from both Germany's Fuhrungsakademie and the Polish National Defence University in our Joint Air Exercise. All of our international partners have contributed ideas and concepts through the week-long event bringing additional diversity and a new perspective to our ACSC students. I'm sure the lessons learned this week will pay strong dividends in the future."