Capstone Military Leadership Program - Participation

Participation

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.

The course requires intensive personal involvement on the part of each CAPSTONE Fellow through participation in seminars, field trips, discussions, and the current issues exercise. There are many opportunities for each Fellow to share expertise and experiences with other participants. The CAPSTONE course does not include formal writing or research assignments. The amount of required readings is modest and is used to highlight key issues and prepare participants for indepth discussions. After their overseas field study, Fellows do prepare a trip report that captures their findings.

Several “Senior Fellows” are assigned to each CAPSTONE class. Senior Fellows are retired four-star generals and admirals who volunteer to participate in the CAPSTONE program. They provide a unique dimension to the course. Their principal contribution lies in their day-to-day contact with CAPSTONE participants. Their breadth of experience, often gained in politically sensitive positions, qualifies them to serve as role models, to interpret international events and military issues, and to provide insights not readily available from other sources.

All presentations and discussions at CAPSTONE are covered by the National Defense University’s non-attribution policy. As a result of this policy, nothing a speaker says during a class session will be attributed to the speaker directly or indirectly in the presence of anyone who was not authorized to attend the lecture. This policy is morally binding on everyone who participates in the CAPSTONE program.