The U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School’s International Military Student Office conducted a ceremony for the international students, their military sponsors, and the IMSO staff to recognize the partnerships and bonds formed across American and allied partner Special Operation Forces, Sept. 18, 2023.
Brigadier General Guillaume “Will” Beaurpere, SWCS commanding general, hosted the social at Fort Liberty, North Carolina.
“It is an honor to have them here and, every time, it is an impressive group of leaders,” Beaurpere said, recognizing the additional obstacles, such as language or different operating procedures, that the international students must negotiate and surpass. Many countries send their top officers and soldiers to receive training through SWCS.
The recognition ceremony of allied SOF relates to the USSOCOM line of effort to expand and reinforce generational and new relationships. The partnership and relationship for the Soldiers begin at SWCS during initial acquisition and later in advanced skills and education experiences.
“The Special Warfare Center and School is honoring approximately 40 international military students and international exchange officers representing 23 countries such as Germany, Canada, and Switzerland, among others,” he said.
Our allied partners are here for a myriad of reasons: Joint Special Operations Master of Arts Program, Army Special Operations Forces Qualification Courses, liaison officers, and advanced skills training such as Military Freefall Jumpmaster Course. These international military soldiers embark on a unique journey, experiencing a world-class education in special operations and a first-rate intercultural exchange.
At the core of ARSOF is fostering relationships built on trust and understanding to create an ability to partner with people from other nations and to help strengthen both partners’ capabilities.
ARSOF Soldiers invest a baseline of six months to acquiring a foreign language, which help to create mutual trust and understanding, build partnerships, and forge alliances.
“Perhaps the greatest benefit of training here are the enduring interpersonal and professional relationships,” Beaurpere said.
He added explaining the benefit of having international students enrolled in SWCS. Their experiences help build the foundation of interoperability and integration that are critical to SOF.
The IMSO ceremony represents a snapshot of the larger global SOF network, creating an opportunity for attendees to connect and further develop intercultural exchange. Relationships formed at SWCS become the bedrock from which many operational and strategic partnerships develop.
Echoing Beaurpere’s comments is an international student, who completed the Special Forces Qualification Course. The student’s name is not being released to the public as an active international special operations service member.
“We’re building the relationship with each other,” the student said. “As partner nations, we might have to face the same enemy in the future, so we are now building the rapport and making our relationship stronger by doing so.”
The students spent an evening celebrating international students and strategic partnerships.
Beaurpere concluded the evening’s events by highlighting the importance of partnership.
“The strength to stand against our adversaries will never come alone, it will come together,” he said.
Editor’s note: Capt. Shao, a recent graduate from SWCS, contributed to the article.
The U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (USAJFKSWCS) at Fort Liberty, N.C., is one of the Army’s premier education institutions, managing and resourcing professional growth for Soldiers in the Army’s three distinct special operations branches: Special Forces, Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations.
For more information about the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, visit www.swcs.mil.
Story by By Steve Morningstar, U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School Public Affairs Office
Photos by K. Kassens, SWCS Public Affairs Office