Joint Services Command and Staff College

Joint Services Command and Staff College (JSCSC) is a British military academic establishment providing training and education to experienced officers of the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force, Ministry of Defence Civil Service, and serving officers of other states.

History

JSCSC combined the single service provision of the British Armed Forces: Royal Naval College, Greenwich, Staff College, Camberley, RAF Staff College, Bracknell and the Joint Service Defence College, Greenwich. Initially formed at Bracknell in 1997, the college moved to a purpose-built facility in the grounds of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom at Watchfield in Oxfordshire in 2000, and is now co-located with the Defence College of Management and Technology, Shrivenham.^[1]

Command, Control and Organisation

The Joint Services Command and Staff College (JSCSC) trains the future commanders and staff officers of all three UK Armed Services and those of many countries around the world, supporting the operational effectiveness of all three Services.

JSCSC is a component of the Defence Academy and the Commandant is a full member of the DA Management Board, reporting to the Director of the Defence Academy. The Commandant is a two-star appointment (Rear Admiral, Major General or Air Vice-Marshal) and can be filled by candidates from each of the three services. Within JSCSC itself each service is represented by a one-star Assistant Commandant (Maritime, Land, and Air), each with responsibility for both single service issues and delivery of training. The Dean of Academic Studies, Professor Matthew Uttley, leads King's College London's Defence Studies Department, which provides theoretical and conceptual academic education in partnership with the military directing staff.^[2]

Crest

The college crest features a cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), a symbol of all three armed services; Britain's largest seabird flies, swims on the sea surface and catches its fish underwater, yet builds its nest on dry land (either on cliffs or in riverside trees). The Cormorant was derived from the symbol of the Joint Service Defence College.

The Alumni Association of the college, open to graduates of the Higher Command and Staff Course, the Advanced Command and Staff Course and staff, is named the Cormorant club.

Facilities

JSCSC is located in a purpose built complex comprising accommodation and teaching wings operated under a thirty year Public Private Partnership arrangement with Serco Defence and Aerospace.

Teaching facilities include 8 fully equipped lecture theares and 59 syndicate rooms, all students are provided with laptop computers with access throughout the college. Lectures from the Cormorant lecture theatre, seating 450, can be displayed in all other theatres. The college houses one of the largest military libraries in Europe.

All courses are residential with single, en-suite, rooms although married students on some courses have the opportunity to use a Married Quarter within Shrivenham station.

Sports facilities include a gymnasium within the complex and access to rugby, football, cricket and hockey pitches, tennis and squash courts which are shared with DCMT.

Courses

Courses delivered by JSCSC include:

Higher Command and Staff Course - Delivered annually to around thirty officers of one-star rank (OF6) (Commodore, Brigadier, Air Commodore) and half-star rank (OF5) (Captain RN, Colonel, Group Captain) or civilian equivalent, including candidates from NATO partners. The course takes fourteen weeks and concentrates on the operational art in a joint and multinational (combined) context, and the nature of high command.

Advanced Command and Staff Course - Delivered annually to 330 officers of SO1 (OF4) (Commander, Lieutenant Colonel, Wing Commander) and SO2 (OF3) (Lieutenant Commander, Major, Squadron Leader) grades and civilian equivalents. Attendees include 90 candidates from NATO and other partners. The course is delivered over 42 weeks and concentrates on Operational command, the planning and conduct of campaigns and major operations in theatre. The course is accredited by King's College London for the award of a Master of Arts degree in Defence Studies.

Intermediate Command and Staff Course - Delivered throughout the academic year to officers of SO2 (OF3) (Lieutenant Commander, Major, Squadron Leader) and SO3 (OF2) (Lieutenant RN, Captain, Flight Lieutenant) grades and civilian equivalents. The course is delivered by single service and is structured to meet the differing career requirements of each service, concentrating on preparation for Command or Staff appointments at OF3 level. Successful completion of ICSC and recommendation for further staff training is required for selection and loading onto ACSC.

• ICSC (Maritime) - Delivered over eight weeks to senior Lieutenants, junior Lieutenant Commanders and civilian equivalents, five courses of up to fifty students each are delivered annually. Attendance is not required for further promotion although Warfare Officers selected for Principal Warfare Officer training are loaded onto the course immediately preceding PWO course. The course is accredited by the Open University and the Chartered Management Institute.

• ICSC (Land) - Delivered over thirty-two weeks to all Army and Royal Marines Majors on promotion, two courses of two-hundred students are delivered annually. The course is undertaken in two phases, foundation studies of the defence environment and an operations stage concentrating on Brigade level considerations.

• RAF Intermediate Level Command and Staff Training - A series of mainly voluntary periods of training which culminate in ICSC (Air).

• ICSC (Air) - Delivered over eight weeks to Squadron Leaders and civilian equivalents, eight courses of up to forty students each are delivered annually. Attendance is voluntary but completion is expected within two years of promotion to the rank. The course is accredited by the Open University and the Chartered Management Institute.

• Junior Officers Command Course - Delivered over three weeks to Flight Lieutenants, eleven courses of up to forty students are delivered annually. Attendance is required for promotion to Squadron Leader and for loading onto ICSC(Air). The course is accredited by the Open University and the Chartered Management Institute.

• Individual Staff Studies Course - Delivered by distance learning over a fifty-one week period to RAF Officers who have completed basic training. Participation is voluntary however is required for leading onto JOCC.

Joint Services Warrant Officers' Course - Delivered over two weeks to Warrant Officers of all three services and NATO or partner countries. the course is intended to prepare Warrant Officers on promotion for employment in the joint environment or in single service Headquarters.

Reserve Forces Command and Staff Courses - Courses to support Royal Naval Reserve and Territorial Army requirements are delivered to provide command and staff training for officers of the reserve forces.

• Intermediate Command and Staff Course (Maritime Reserve)
• Junior Staff Course (Territorial Army)
• Senior Reserve Officers Defence Course
• Territorial Army Command and Staff Course

Commandants

The following have commanded the college:^[3]

• 1 September 1997 Major General T J Granville-Chapman
• 4 January 2000 Air Vice-Marshal B K Burridge
• 28 January 2002 Rear Admiral R J Lippiett
• 3 March 2003 Major General J McColl
• 1 March 2004 Major General N R Parker
• July 2005 Air Vice-Marshal N D A Maddox
• 4 September 2007 Rear Admiral N Morisetti
• 8 October 2009 Major General G Binns
• 2 September 2010 Air Vice-Marshal R Lock

References

1. ^ Ministry of Defence: The Joint Services Command and Staff College National Audit Office Report 2002
2. ^ The Defence Studies Department :Defence Studies Department :King's College London
3. ^ Heads of Colleges on RAF web

External links

• JSCSC
• ACSC