Posted on May 9, 2014
Looking for information about the Army War Colledge Defense Strategy Course (DSC)?
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I'm scheduled to start the Defense Strategy Course this July. I'm interested to hear from people who took it already and hear what its like. Time expectations, home work involved, etc. Also, has anyone use that material in their jobs, and if so, what was the reason?
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SchoolsDefense Strategy Course (DSC)
SchoolsDefense Strategy Course (DSC)
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 5
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I am scheduled to start in Jan 2018. I will update here with my opinion. I am looking for someone who has taken the course recently so I can get the reading list and read ahead during the holidays. Not sure what to expect but hope it isn't to time intensive.
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To me, a waste of time. Wait - you have notice you are starting? i didn't even put in for it and got called the day it started! You WILL do it, I was told...I just stopped answering their emails. Heck, I hadn't even heard of it until the day I was "enrolled."
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LTC (Join to see)
The course is as you describe; there's good stuff but I simply don't have the time. After 17 years enlisted and then commissioned, I am probably just getting burnt out. Hard to do around a job that is overseas (I'm back to an 'M-day' reservist, but working across multiple time zones). It's certainly not the school's fault but I didn't put in for the course as I knew that I didn't have the time (currently also attending Flight Instructor academy). Some within my Guard state leadership (I'm former SF; now MI) says it's unneeded and a waste since the Guard has no use for any force structure above division, and it's not a LTC's place to be concerned with strategy - that is for the AGR GOs and COLs. Just wished that I had been consulted before someone put me in for the course and then receiving one day's notice! :) Did you get anything out of it? I have a Master's associated with Strategic Leadership (International Relations undergraduate) and some of the readings seemed somewhat self-serving and arrogant - just my opinion. Course managers are class personnel, too - good people. I merely wish I had the time and the luxury of scheduling. :)
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Sir, how did you like the DSC? I think the MILPER will be out in AUG and I was interested in applying for the course. I am a very busy AGR XO with three young boys. How many hours per week would you estimate it would require? Thanks!
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COL Thomas Ficarra
Major Servicemember... DSC was a pretty good course. Not that time intensive but plenty of good reading to be had. There were a few papers to write, not very long... but long enough so the instructor knew you learned something about the topic. It was about 3-4 months long and at the end there was a final "test". Basically four days of reading about an event, and writing to a forum each of the four consecutive days. I wouldn't say it takes up as much time as a college course (3hrs/credit), but make sure you set aside a few minutes a day to knock out the reading. Have fun!
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LTC(P) (Join to see)
I agree. I completed DSC last year., and would agree, it's about the equivalent to a online masters course in terms of time requirements. I did the course while in my KD position (not recommended), but the instructors were helpful in coordinating around my units training requirements. I thought the course was useful, if for no other reason then it forces you to approach problems from a different perspective.
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