Page 29 - The Cormorant 2018

Perspective From Kenya Major Stephen Murimi Kinyanjui
HAVING RECEIVED NEWS IN January 2017 of my nomination to attend ACSC, I had a lot of questions on what to expect. The pre-Course reading material looked menacing and combined with work requirements, doubts lingered if any reading could be achieved beforehand.
However, through engagement with Kenyan officers who had attended previous ACSCs, preparations went on smoothly with regard to visa application and entry clearance for my family to the UK.
In the UK, my colleague, Major Evans Meoshi, and I were supported by the Kenyan Defence Attaché and Lt Col Amos Ouko (Liaison DS) throughout our stay. Coming from an English speaking country made life easier with minor difficulties encountered. The highlight of the Course was getting to pursue the Master’s degree programme, in addition to meeting various British and International students with varied knowledge and professional perspectives.
I would recommend the Course to any military commander ardent at understanding operational level command.
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Perspective From France Lieutenant Commander Mathieu Chauby
ACSC REPRESENTS A GREAT opportunity in many ways: the French rational mind is confronted with a thriving British mindset, always ready to grasp opportunities in original ways. Besides, this multi- cultural Academy provides a unique melting pot,
where students can approach diverse cultures and intellectual frameworks. Concurrently, the emphasis on learning about its own biases is particularly insightful. A key takeaway is that ways to develop common solutions are flawed with numerous
misunderstanding and prejudices, event with the best intentions to cooperate and amongst long-term allies. Assessing allies and adversaries’ predispositions is really challenging, and syndicate rooms activities constituted many weekly reminders.
Thus, as the Course progressed through the study of Ends, Ways and Means, officers have a glimpse at the complexity of the World, and the changing nature of domestic and international policies in a perpetually evolving framework. Nevertheless, this Course provides tools and opportunities to minimise this complexity, thanks to daily interactions. As Churchill said; “There is only one thing worse than fighting with allies, and that is fighting without them.”