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on where the land domain has got
it right and wrong over the last few decades, prompting some reflections that felt rather like a syndicate room activity!
Throughout dinner the brass quartet from the Royal Army Medical Services Band played a selection of music to give guests a taste of regimental marches and music traditionally played at dinner
nights. After the toasts were complete a lone piper returned to the dining room, walking up and down between the tables piping a lament as the guests banged on the table in time with the beat. The evening continued in the bar with coffee, cheese and a couple of sets from the course band. There may not be a single land dinner template, but everyone got a taste of the varied traditions of the British Army.
International Perspective from India
Squadron Leader Shashank Bhargava, Indian Air Force
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ADVANCED COMMAND AND
STAFF Course (ACSC) proved to be profoundly enriching for me across various dimensions, encompassing the professional, academic, and social spheres. The multifaceted insights acquired during the course have significantly broadened our perspectives beyond what I initially anticipated from a professional military course. While diligently engaging with the course curriculum and striving for academic excellence was undeniably an integral facet, the interplay of peer-to-peer knowledge exchange assumed a pivotal role
in shaping our ultimate learning achievements.
The guiding principles of ‘Humility,’ ‘Empathy,’ and ‘Creativity,’ which constitute the very essence of this course, have garnered profound admiration from all the course officers from Indian Armed Forces. The augmentation of knowledge through global viewpoints shared by British officers, the Directing staff, and international officers hailing from 54 nations renders this course an unparalleled entity within its classification on a global scale.
Belonging to a Commonwealth nation, I hold in high regard the gracious British hospitality extended to me and my family by our esteemed host nation
associates, which facilitated a genuine immersion into British culture. I regard myself as both privileged and fortunate to have been a part of this course, particularly during a period where the amicable bonds and bilateral relations between India and the UK are attaining unprecedented zeniths.
In conclusion, I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the Defence Academy of the UK and, in particular, the Joint Services Command and Staff College (JSCSC), for orchestrating the ACSC into an indelible experience of a lifetime.