Army Reserve officer attends French Army military school

Army Reserve Magazine,  Spring, 2005  by Derrick Witherspoon

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SFC Derrick Witherspoon

Public Affairs Office

7th U.S. Army Reserve Command

SCHWETZINGEN, Germany -- For most Army officers, preparing for and attending the Command and General Staff College can be quite challenging, but try attending the same type of course in France and throwing French into the equation. That's just what one 7th Army Reserve Command (ARCOM) officer did as he attended the French Army Reserve Staff College located in Paris.

Every year the French Army Reserve Staff College, located at the Paris-based Ecole Militaire (French term for military school), conducts a three-week course for approximately 80 French Reserve Officers in the month of August. MAJ Robert A. Grumberg, commander, 7th ARCOM, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, was chosen to be the first U.S. Soldier to attend the prestigious school--which was once attended by Napoleon Bonaparte.

"When General Tabor called me and asked me if I would like to go, I told him that I would be honored," said Grumberg. "I read an after action report from a mission the 7th ARCOM did with the school in 2000 and the commandant of the school said he would like to have one of our Soldiers attend the French Army Reserve Staff College. Because of the operations we were going to be involved in during 2001 and 2002, we didn't have anyone qualified to go."

Grumberg said in 2004 the French military school sent another invitation to the U.S. Embassy, to U.S. Army Europe, and then down to the 7th ARCOM inviting two Army Reserve Soldiers to attend its French Army Reserve Staff College.

"Finally, the 7th ARCOM received another invitation to send two reserve officers to the school," said Grumberg. "So, when General Tabor called me and asked if I would like to go, I was more than ready, but the other officer who was supposed to go was unable to attend, so I ended up being the only one who attended."

Grumberg was chosen by BG Richard M. Tabor, 7th ARCOM commander, to attend the school because of his background in French culture and his ability to speak the language.

"I chose Major Grumberg for many reasons, not the least of which was his fluency in French, which is a requirement to attend this course," said Tabor. "I was certain he would do well, knowing the caliber of this outstanding officer."

Grumberg said that his background in French dates back to his father.

"My father was born and raised in Paris and later immigrated to America, but he never spoke French at home, so I learned French at school," said Grumberg. "I was also able to take a little French in college and when I was stationed in Baumholder, Germany, I started learning a little more, basically through self-study."

Grumberg said his wife, who is from France, also helped him with his French and he also had a private tutor that helped him once a week. He added that his training in French helped him greatly while he was attending the course, which is geared toward officer development.

"The goal of the course is to certify an officer to be qualified to work at a brigade or division staff level," said Grumberg. "It is probably the equivalent of CAS3 (Combined Arms and Services Staff College) and CGSC (Command and General Staff College)."

Grumberg said the course consisted of two weeks of classroom training and one week of a brigade level exercise. He added that the course was difficult, but he was well prepared.

"The course places some weight on your shoulders, but you just have to look at it from a professional standpoint," said Grumberg. "I did a lot more homework on current French political and social issues, but what also helped me was that for the last two years I was a language judge, if you will, in Strasbourg, France, with the French military, where they send their Soldiers to get an English language qualification. So, that helped expose me to the French military a little more and how they perform their military operations."

"I was not surprised when the school commandant told me how well he had done and how impressed he was with Major Grumberg," said Tabor. "Moreover, he asked if it would be possible to send Major Grumberg back next year as an instructor. That's very impressive."

Grumberg said he was grateful that his wife and her family were able to attend his graduation ceremony at the school, but he was even more grateful for the experience he gained from attending the school.

"Personally for me, it was very rewarding to be able to give something back to France," said Grumberg. "One of the biggest things I learned was that when you deal with international issues, you have to work together and understand that different nationalities approach similar problems differently."

Grumberg said that overall, attending the French Army Reserve Staff College was a great experience for him and now the school would like more American officers to attend the course. They have also asked to have an American officer come to the school and be an instructor. Tabor said because of the necessity to be fluent in French, it will be challenging for the 7th ARCOM to find officers to attend the French Army Reserve Staff College next year, but not impossible, as seen with Grumberg.

COPYRIGHT 2005 U.S. Army Reserve
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