Capstone Military Leadership Program
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| Type | Military Leadership Training |
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| Established | 26 May 1982 |
| Location | Washington, DC, USA |
| Campus | Fort Lesley J. McNair |
CAPSTONE is a joint service professional military education courses for newly promoted brigadier generals and rear admirals serving in the United States military. The National Defense University conducts the CAPSTONE course at Fort Lesley J. McNair in Washington, DC. The course objective is to ensure senior military leaders understand how military forces and other elements of national power are integrated and used to support national military strategies, and how joint, interagency, and multinational operations support strategic national objectives.
On 26 May 1982, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) directed the National Defense University to establish a professional military education program for brigadier generals and rear admiral selectees. Two eleven-week pilot programs were offered in 1983. In February 1984, the JCS approved a permanent course to be offered once a year. This new course was eight weeks in duration. In July 1986, the JCS reduced the course length to six weeks and increased the frequency to two courses per year.
The Goldwater-Nichols Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 made CAPSTONE mandatory for all newly selected generals and admirals. Subsection 663(a) of the Act titled “Capstone Course for New Generals and Flag Officers,” specifically required that “Each officer selected for promotion to the grade of brigadier general or, in the case of Navy, rear admiral (lower half) shall be required, after such selection, to attend a military education course designed specifically to prepare new generals and flag officers to work with the other armed forces.” In 1987, the number of CAPSTONE courses was increased to four per year to satisfy the statutory requirement.
In addition to all active duty generals and admirals, some newly appointed members of the civilian Senior Executive Service serving in the Department of Defense also attend along with some flag rank reserve and national guard officers and admirals from the United States Coast Guard. CAPSTONE participants are referred to as "Fellows" because of the unique nature of the course and the special expertise and qualifications of those officers attending. The course differs from senior service schools in four ways. First, the rank of its participants; second, the class size and course duration; third, the course focuses on the employment of military forces in support of United States national policy objectives; and finally, the course provides personal interaction with United States military’s most senior commanders. Guest speakers include the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, all of the Service Chiefs, the commanders of all the unified commands as well as senior officials from the Department of Defense, Department of State, National Security Council, and members of Congress.
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