On July 10, 2019, I reported to Fort Leavenworth and the Command General Staff College.  I had prepared myself to be led into a room with a doctor holding an orbitoclast for the lobotomy I had been promised.  After some quick in-processing, I received administrative information before they sent me on my way.  I was relieved to still have my mind, but surely the lobotomy everyone had promised would happen later in the year.   

Returning in August for the first day of class, we were shown the academic calendar. Again, I looked for the block of time reserved for the inevitable procedure.  But there was nothing blocked off for the “lobotomy”.  Now I started to worry.  Would I be whisked away from my home in the middle of the night and taken to the bowels of the Lewis and Clark Building? That was surely where the operating room existed…when would this dreaded procedure happen?  When would we all become the brainless, automaton field grades we had all seen during our time as company grade officers? 

Now, in our graduation week, it is safe to say that the lobotomy we were promised will not materialize.  So what does that mean?  Why does this famed Command General Staff College (CGSC) myth exist and what lessons can be taken away from this year to ensure we don’t find out we were in fact lobotomized without even knowing it happened… 

Family and You 

CGSC is one of the best opportunities in the Army to invest in family and yourself. Do this by establishing habits to invest your time wisely.  The academics are more time-consuming than in the past.  The recent changes to the curriculum to support the possible master’s degree have added time in and out of the classroom.  For those that also attempted to complete a master’s, whether the MMAS or a civilian degree, the time commitment for these academic pursuits became significant (think company command – again).  Regardless, you must find ways to take care of your family and yourself.   Block family time off every day.  Cook and eat dinner with them as much as possible.  I either ensured I did my work in the classroom before heading home or after my son went to bed.   

Take time not only for your family but also for yourself. Work out, read a book (not in the curriculum), write and reflect, or find a  new hobby.  Use a calendar (Google Calendar was my choice) to deliberately schedule your time and hold yourself accountable.  Time is always at a premium, even here at CGSC.  You will need to make deliberate decisions on where you invest time both at CGSC and in your future positions. 

 It is also important to share that some believe placing family first during Professional Military Education (PME) is not the priority and you are not maximizing your time here.  But I would challenge you to think about how many leaders you have served with that choose to first share their failures not as a leader, but as a member of their own family. If you fail to find ways to put your family first at CGSC, there is a low probability you will find ways to do so in the crucible years that follow. The most important thing I did this year was to ensure I placed my family first.  I have no doubt the foundation laid with my wife and son at Fort Leavenworth will translate to a stronger family in the years that follow. 

Relationships Matter 

One of the highlights this year was standing in front of my house around a fire pit with friends and their families. While seemingly insignificant, these moments shared together will forge connections that will make a difference in our future organizations.  The relationships that are built here could be the difference between success and failure.  Every senior leader who speaks at CGSC remarks on how they continue to work with their former classmates and how much that influences their ability to succeed.  Do not underestimate the importance of investing time in building a diverse network. 

You will work with peers from every branch, service, and many foreign militaries.  These are the same people that will be in key staff roles in a few short weeks.  While at CGSC make friends with those outside your own branch and comfort zone.  There will be opportunities in the classroom due to the diversity of every staff group but find ways to connect outside the classroom as well.  

Do not forget about the faculty.  Those that are great instructors will bend over backward to help you during your year at CGSC.  They will be your linkage to the institutional domain by providing products, answering questions, or allowing you to vent and work through problems by leveraging their experience and academic expertise. 

It must be acknowledged that this year’s incoming class will be hindered in their ability to network due to COVID-19 and a possible distance learning environment.  Networking and building meaningful relationships with your peers will be more challenging, but it is essential to find ways to get it done.  The network established here may even be more important than the doctrine learned, so do not waste the opportunity despite the obstacles.  One way our staff group (8B!) has been able to keep in contact is Apps like GroupMe.  We have also used Zoom to hold social hours and catch up with each other. 

Know Your Job  

Recently General Rainey, the Combined Arms Center Commander, published a video on the Profession of Arms for all CGSC students to watch.  In the video, he stated that if he could do one thing with CGSC it would be to make all graduates “card-carrying members of the Profession.”  In a virtual LPD with The Field Grade Leader, he explained that the Army expects CGSC graduates to be experts in their field, regardless of the area.  Take the time at CGSC to get into doctrine, especially within your branch and warfighting function.  The assigned reading will force you to read doctrine but this can be a task and you must force yourself to do it.   

A way to make doctrine easier to digest is to write a quick summary immediately after reading.  These quick summaries will help you reflect and digest your biggest takeaway from that night’s reading.  The opportunity exists to ensure you are competent when you arrive at your next unit; take advantage. 

Another aspect of “knowing your job” is to know yourself.  Increase your self-awareness and find ways to understand yourself.  The first few weeks of common core will give you some tests (Meyers-Briggs, etc.) to understand yourself.  Identify your weaknesses and work on them.  I realized I have a bad habit of waiting to talk and I put a lot of emphasis on practicing active listening.  Everything you do at CGSC is peer leadership, and those that genuinely cannot lead will be found out.   Find ways to better understand yourself and how you operate in a team. 

Lastly, read outside the curriculum.  Building the ability to develop yourself and become a life-long learner is invaluable.  I often listened to books on Audible while I worked out.  Talk to your classmates about the good stuff they are reading.  Send professional articles to your classmates and talk about them.  The one book I absolutely recommend taking a look at is Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead.  It is a fantastic look at all three types of leadership and gives insight into how to be a professional and serve as an organizational leader. 

In the End 

To those of us graduating this week, let us not be the reason to continue the lobotomy myth.  That choice is up to us.  Find ways to positively influence the people around you and organizations we help lead.  Be positive leaders within our future organizations that others will wish to emulate and follow.  We will only truly know who was snuck into the CGSC basement in a few years when we emerge from the crucible of our time as majors.   

To the incoming class who will undoubtedly have an interesting experience this year, have no fear!  There will be no “One Who Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” moment (referring to a lobotomy).  Take advantage of this year to network, learn as much as you can, and, enjoy your family.  There are things to complain about here!  Find ways to make this year worthwhile based upon your own assessment.  Acknowledge signing into SATS is ridiculous and then move on!  Be patient with the frustrations you will have.   Understand that the institution and faculty of CGSC are only a part of your education and development.  The learning experience is as much about your self-reflection and growth as it is about your time in the classroom.  Find the way that will allow you to get the most out of this year, however that may be.   

Major Billy Folinusz is a graduating student from the Command General Staff Officer’s College.  He was commissioned as an Armor officer from James Madison University in 2009. He also holds a Masters of Public Policy from Temple University.  He is headed to Fort Stewart to join The Rock of the Marne.  He is married to his wife Theresa and the proud father of Theodore.