Corps of Engineers Commander welcomes students of CESL course

"Sharpen your ax," exclaimed Lt. Gen. Robert L. Van Antwerp, chief of engineers and commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, at the opening ceremony for the pilot of the Continuing Education for Senior Leaders course at the Army Management Staff College Dec. 3.

The goal of CESL is to sustain and further develop leaders by refining their skills and potential for the DoD's future contemporary operating environment. CESL is a 4½-day resident course that provides an opportunity for senior civilian leaders to receive updates on Department of the Army-specific programs and issues, collaborate with each other and learn more about the role of senior civilians in today's Army.

Van Antwerp's opening remarks identified concepts for success as a civilian leader and lifelong learner in a world that continues to change. Van Antwerp stated, that to build an organization that can stand the test of time, you must "Sharpen your ax: physically and mentally." He outlined three steps involved in the process: learn to balance your lifestyle with work and family activities; gain knowledge from coursework and fellow colleagues; and, determine what to do with that knowledge.

Building competencies is more than attending a class; it is about taking the information learned in leadership courses like CESL and determining how to make a difference with that newly obtained knowledge, he said.

Van Antwerp added, "The idea is do it for you. Education counts. Sharpen your ax by putting yourself in a position to learn and reinforce that learning every day, whether it is in the workplace or at home."

After a week of instruction and activity, the course concluded Friday with a ceremony for 46 students and remarks from AMSC commandant, Col. Garland H. Williams. Williams stressed the need for senior leaders to think about the following questions: "When you get home at the end of the day, can you point to one thing you completed that will support the warfighter and his/her family? If you had a choice, would you work for you?
"If the answer is 'no,' then take a good, hard look at yourself and evaluate your purpose and goals," he said.

Williams acknowledged "it is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day operations, but it is more important to think about the value of the project at hand and how it will impact the Army's mission."

After the course, CESL graduates, Ellen McArthur and Adrienne Slaughter-Melvin, shared their thoughts about the program.

"The course allowed leaders to bounce ideas off one another and obtain information on current issues surrounding the Army," McArthur said.
"It was a course that really allowed participants to network with other leaders around the Army," Slaughter-Melvin added.

For more information about the courses offered at the AMSC, visit http://www.amsc.belvoir.army.mil or call Sedika Franklin at 703-805-4767.