Attendance at Army school will boost job performance, growth.

Attendance at the Army Management Staff Colleges provides qualified applicants additional opportunity for both learning and promotion.

That is the message Ursula Lohmann, Dean, of the Fort Belvoir, Va., based school, gives to prospective students from the Surface Deployment and Distribution Command.

"We're interested in developing a person who really understands the complexity of an organization and tan provide leadership and management in their respective jobs," said Lohmann.

She outlined the college's Sustaining Base Leadership & Management course, available in 12-week resident or one-year non resident versions at a recent meeting with SDDC personnel in Alexandria, Va.

"Back in the working environment," said Lohmann, "that's when the lessons learned have great clarity ... six months after, 12 months alter ...

"Five years later, students are still applying the material."

The course receives hearty praise from Bill Lucas, Deputy to the Commander, who has repeatedly visited SDDC employees attending the school and attended many graduation ceremonies.

"If you're really interested in your career," said Lucas, "you want the Army Management Staff College on your individual development plan."

While not an easy course, Lucas said the training and thinking taught at the school would prove "very valuable" to employees in their careers.

Similar to military service schools, classes are mostly taught through small seminar sessions of 15 students.

However, unlike the military schools, the seminars are composed of students from a wide variety of work fields. Classes of 155-165 students are conducted three times a year.

Instruction includes such subjects as: Leadership, communication, decision-making, analysis, Army cultural literacy, Army environment, and readiness and systems. Many colleges will grant as many as 15 graduate hours of credit for the instruction.

The course is designed for Army civilians in grade levels 12-14 and military officers in the ranks of major and lieutenant colonel.

A long-term study of graduates indicates a promotion rate about twice that of nongraduates, said Lohmann. SDDC has potential students.

"I am looking forward to attending Army Management Staff College," said Tara Phelps-Jones, a specialist in the Inspector General's office.

"The course sounds challenging, yet exciting. I know this will be a tremendous opportunity and learning experience as well as a major career booster."

With over 20 prospective students, turnout was good, said Curtis Moore, a SDDC retiree who is a former president of SDDC's alumni chapter.

"Club members are just trying to pass the message along," said Moore.

"The training and experience of the school has helped us. We would like to see the good that comes from the school continue to reach deserving students."

Vivian Washington, a 1997 graduate, agreed with Moore.

"It provided me a better understanding of the total Army," said Washington.

"Another main area of help was in critical thinking. Alter working the problems and issues in the course, I find I am better able to focus, prioritize, analyze and complete any variety of projects."

Prospective attendees can find additional material on the course at www.amsc.belvoir.army.mil.