CHAPEL HILL, N.C., July 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The UNC-IDB Strategic Studies Fellows Program (SSFP) honored its eighth class of graduates on July 18, 2019 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. LTG Darrell K. Williams, Director of the Defense Logistics Agency, was the keynote speaker for the graduation event.

"Today's mid-career level officers are being required to think more strategically than ever before. It is imperative for these future Army leaders to grasp this concept at a much earlier point in their careers so they will be ready for the complex geopolitical world around them. The IDB-SSFP Strategic Studies Fellows Program gives these men and women critical tools to add to their skillsets as they advance in their military careers," said LTG Williams.

The UNC-IDB SSFP is administered by the Institute for Defense and Business (IDB) in partnership with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

About the SSFP Program

The four-week course is a graduate-level leadership seminar dedicated to broadening the ability of emerging military leaders to adapt to the increasingly uncertain and complex international environment.

"During the program, students' critical thinking processes are challenged by highly respected scholars in the fields of political science, international studies, business, and media and communications. Exposure to these lenses from an academic standpoint allows these students to broaden their professional horizons and think of the big picture," said IDB President MG Jim Hodge, USA (Ret). In addition to dissecting complex scenarios in the world of diplomatic relations, the Fellows worked with professors to sharpen their leadership and oratorical skills.

During this year's program, Congressman David Price (D-NC), paid a special visit to the Fellows. He spoke candidly with them about the inner workings of Congress, the challenges the body faces in today's complex geopolitical environment and the possibilities for cooperation and progress still inherent to this institution. Other highlights included a local Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) visit where students met with senior leaders at TROSA, a non-profit, two-year program dedicated to helping rehabilitate people with substance abuse disorders and provide them job skills they can use after the program has ended. Here the participants learned about volunteerism, logistical innovation, and strategic decision making. They also met with ADM Dennis Blair, USN (Ret) former Director of National Intelligence, where the Fellows were able to gain a new perspective on leadership from someone with an extensive experience in the military, intelligence community, and federal government. 

Capstone Team Project

The program culminates with an applied strategic capstone team project, consisting of a team presentation and academic paper, demonstrating the students' application of the curriculum. At the end of the course, students presented their findings before a panel consisting of GEN Dan Allyn, USA (Ret), former Vice Chief of Staff of the Army and IDB Executive Fellow; Professor Tim Nichols, Visiting Professor of the Practice in the Duke Sanford School of Public Policy; and MG Jim Hodge, USA (Ret), President of the IDB.

Graduating Class

Graduates received a joint certificate from UNC and the IDB and are now members of the IDB's expansive alumni network. The graduates are:

MSG Lee Baker, Assignments NCO, Human Capital Management, Army National Guard Bureau

CPT Nicole Chappell, Battalion Operations Officer, HHD, 61^st QM BN, 13^th ESC, III Corps, FORSCOM USA

CPT Morgan Cina, G2 & G35, US Military Academy Staff, US Military Academy

CPT Lauren Cooper, Operations Officer, 5^th BN, SFAB

CPT Tina Cordova, Executive Officer, Division East, First Army

MSG Osvaldo Cruz Javariz, ARNG-HRS-S Branch NCOIC, ARNG-HRS-S, Army National Guard Bureau

LTC John deGeest, Chief of Training, 174^th IN BDE, First Army, USA

MAJ Jamiah Edwards, Executive Officer, DASA-R&T, ASA(ALT)

MAJ Brian Foster, FA Organizational Integrator, ARNG G3 FM, ARNG

CPT Jamila Gale-Agans, Battalion Logistics Officer, 17^th CSSB, USARAK

MAJ Adam Johnson, Human Resources Officer, 35^th Infantry Division, Kansas Army National Guard

CPT Briana Keirstead, Dep SPO OC-T, JMRC, 7 ATC, USAREUR

CPT Peter Kerkhof, Intelligence Officer, 2CR, USAREUR

CPT Kaitlin Kisiel, Small Group Leader, Army Logistics University, USA

CPT Kelsey Kurtz, Operations Officer, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff – Engineers, USAREUR

MSG Benjamin Linkous, Senior Operations NCO, 2^nd BN, ARCD

SFC David Marshall, Senior Instructor, 11/100^th MI BN, 4 BDE, 100^th Regiment, 88^th MSC, USAR

CPT Maria Martinez, BN S4 OIC, 168 MMB, 65 MED BDE, USA

CPT Agustin Martinez III, Force Management Officer, OPS Co. HHBn, United States Army Pacific Command

CPT Kevin Mathews, Commander, 1^st SPACE BN, SMDC, USA

CPT Deems McKee, Assistant Product Manager, PEO EIS, USA

CPT Alonzo McNeal, Student, Navy CGSC

CPT Clayton Pell, Company Commander, 173^rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), USAREUR

CPT Eric Redlus, Red Team Leader, 2D BN, 1^st Information Operations Command, US Army Cyber Command

CPT Jeremy Reynolds, Company Commander, 130^th EN BDE, USARPAC 

CPT Erik Robertson, Commander, 818^th Support Maintenance Company, USARC 

CPT Geoffrey Ross, Instructor, Department of Military Instruction, United States Corps of Cadets, United States Military Academy

MAJ Anthony Salvani, Deputy Director, NJ JFHQ Family Programs, New Jersey Army National Guard

CW3 Yvette Sandoval, S-1 Human Resources Technician, 49^th Military Police Brigade, California Army National Guard 

CPT Mark Sauser, Detachment Commander, 5^th Military Police Battalion (CID), USACIDC

CPT Laterrious Starks, Executive Officer, HQ, USAREUR

CPT Cynthia Stephenson, Aide de Camp to CG IMCOM, HQ, USA Installation Management Command (IMCOM)

WO1 Bruce Villasenor, Regional Planner, G-5 Plans Division, Marine Forces Europe and Africa, USMC

CPT Randy Warren, Commander, Buffalo Recruiting Company, USAREC

MSG Yvonne Young, Senior Human Resources and Operations NCOIC, National Guard Advisor Office, United States Army Warfare Center and School, Fort Bragg, NC

About the IDB

The IDB is a nonprofit research and education institute formed in 1997 by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the state of North Carolina. The Institute provides custom executive and degree-granting education programs for all career levels from the military and government, non-governmental organizations, private sector, and international organizations. IDB features curriculum in logistics and technology, life cycle systems, leadership and organizational transformation, and strategic studies. www.IDB.org

Media Contact: Zebrina Warner, Institute for Defense & Business, 919-969-8008, warner@idb.org

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SOURCE Institute for Defense and Business