Page 5 - The Cormorant Issue 14

Editorial
By Wg Cdr Rich Berry
For all of ACSC 14 who gathered at Shrivenham way back at the end of August 2010, the intervening forty-six weeks have been filled with a roller-coaster of challenges, ranging from the intellec- tual to the professional, individual and team, written and verbal, physical and emotional, pleasant and not-so pleasant. However, without any shadow of a doubt, we have all risen to those chal- lenges and become better people as a result, and above all, we have made some strong and lasting bonds of friendship with fel- low officers (and some civilians) from across the world. It is these friends that we have made that have added so much texture and flavour to our time at the Defence Academy, knowing that wherever we end up in the future, there is likely to be a familiar face not too far away who can offer help and advice to an Old Cormorant from ACSC 14.
We have had an incredible range of speakers to address our course: from high-ranking politicians, military officers and aca- demics, to leaders from the business world, non-governmental organisations and the wider community. To have been addressed on one day by former-Conservative Cabinet member Lord Hurd, and the very next day to be briefed by both the Chief of the Defence Staff and the Secretary of State for Defence, has been a truly remarkable experience for us all. Each of us will have had our favourites, and as individuals we will all have taken something away from everyone who has taken the time and effort to share their knowledge and experience with the members of ACSC 14. In a word – unforgettable.
But the world has not stood still whilst we have taken our sab- baticals from our normal daily jobs. We have seen political turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa, with NATO forces called into action over Libya, as well as the on-going conflict in
The Fourteenth Edition of the Cormorant Magazine Editorial Team.
Left to right: Mr Matthew Savill,
Wg Cdr Jamie Osborne, Wg Cdr Neil Grant, Lt Cdr Andy Hingston (Canada),
Wg Cdr Lee Turner, Lt Cdr Roger Noyce, Lt Cdr Rick Screaton, Wg Cdr Rich Berry, Lt Col Marcus Elmhirst.
Missing: Wg Cdr Andy Hetterley and
Lt Cdr Sharad Sinsunwal (India).
Afghanistan; natural disasters have occurred; economic chaos has deepened across Europe; and the UK has seen significant changes to her military forces brought about by the Strategic Defence and Security Review that was published during Octo- ber 2010. Many of these events have had personal impact on the students of ACSC 14 and we have been privileged to have had their first-hand opinions and views within our lectures and syndicate discussions.
This edition of the Cormorant Magazine aims to capture a snap- shot of what the members of ACSC 14 have been enduring and enjoying during the period of our course. It would not have been possible without the contributors who have written the articles, the ACSC directing and academic staff who have worked so hard to facilitate our education and learning, and the members of the editorial team who have pulled the magazine together. To them all, I am eternally grateful and to the members of ACSC 14 who now go out into the big, wide world to exercise their new- found skills, good luck to you all!
The Editorial Team was:
Wg Cdr Rich Berry RAF – Student Editor Lt Col Marcus Elmhirst SG
Wing Cdr Neil Grant RAF
Wg Cdr Andy Hetterley RAF
Wg Cdr Jamie Osborne RAF Wg Cdr Lee Turner RAF
Lt Cdr Roger Noyce RN
Lt Cdr Rick Screaton RN
Lt Cdr Andrew Hingston – Canadian Navy Lt Cdr Sharad Sinsunwal – Indian Navy Mr Matthew Savill
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