The minister thanked the students for the effort made to complete their studies in conditions especially difficult for Spain and wished them "good luck in an increasingly demanding world that requires more preparation."
Robles has highlighted the values that the Armed Forces represent, and that I have learned as Minister of Defense, "and recalled the role that her men and women have had during the scourge of the pandemic.
"This is the symbiosis and the total union of Spain with its Armies, which are always there", to emphasize that this is the "philosophy of the Armed Forces, never leaving Spain or a Spaniard behind."
The Minister of Defense has concluded by pointing out that today's world requires talent, knowledge, training and preparation. He stressed that "we have to continue modernizing the Armed Forces" and has insisted on the National Security Directive approved by the Government and whose ultimate objective is "to value the Armed Forces".
Of the 89 Spanish students, 28 belong to the Army, 24 to the Navy, 23 to the Air Force, 8 to the Civil Guard, 2 to the Common Defense Forces, 2 to the National Police Corps and 2 to the Diplomatic Corps .
The 31 foreign students come from France, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom, Germany, Argentina, Brazil, USA. Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Mauritania, Mali, Saudi Arabia, China, South Korea, Indonesia and India.
The event began with some welcoming words from the director of CESEDEN, Lieutenant General of the Marine Corps Francisco de Paula Bisbal Pons, and then the director of the General Staff School of the Armed Forces (ESFAS), general of Miguel Ballenilla and García de Gamarra Division, has delivered the last lesson of the course.
Subsequently, the diplomas have been awarded to a representation of 10 students.
Also the Chief of Defense Staff, General of the Air Miguel Ángel Villarroya, has wanted to give his most sincere congratulations for their dedication and effort and welcoming them to "the great family of which the Armed Forces are formed."
Next, a video has been projected with a congratulatory message from King Felipe VI to the group for having successfully completed the course despite the difficulties of the pandemic and the state of alarm.
During the event, the participants had a few words of remembrance for the commander of the Air Force, Eduardo Fernández Gómez, one of the students of this class who died in a traffic accident on October 24, 2019.
The event was attended by the general director of Recruitment and Military Education, María Amparo Valcarce, the ambassador of Italy in our country Riccardo Guariglia, the rector of the Nebrija University, Juan Cayón, and the vice-rector of the Complutense University of Madrid, Víctor Briones, in addition to the directors of Army Education, Navy and Civil Guard
Teaching before COVID-19
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the face-to-face phase of the course was interrupted on March 11, 2020, and it was taught online until its completion. The affected departments have adapted the teaching guides using the tools provided by the Virtual Academic Portal (PAV), in order to ensure the continuity of the courses.
The ESFAS
The General Staff School of the Armed Forces (ESFAS) is in charge of investigating, analyzing and disseminating the results on those aspects related to the doctrines of joint and combined action, as well as developing the refresher course for the performance of General Officer duties and the course for obtaining the General Staff Diploma officers of the Armed Forces and the Civil Guard Corps.
The purpose of the General Staff Course of the Armed Forces is to complement the training of the career military personnel to carry out the tasks of advising and supporting senior management in the superior and directive organs of the Ministry of Defense and international organizations of the that Spain is part, as well as of the specific, joint and combined General Staff.
