Comments from students in fiscal 2022

I feel grateful to be allowed to join the training at the Japan Peacekeeping Training and Research Center of the Joint Staff College in this time of the novel coronavirus pandemic. The curriculum of this training was truly meaningful, focusing on the mission of staff officers to be deployed in international peace cooperation activities. It included lectures by officers who have the experience of dispatch, and also covered the planning, which is the decision-making process necessary for the development of the plans. Surrounded by the instructors who trained us with affection and careful preparation, and the brilliant classmates who are familiar with things in a variety of fields, I found the training very fulfilling.
　On entering this course, I gave myself the theme “Contribution to the MOD’s security arena”, and there systematically learned “leadership”, “impartiality”, “respect for diversity”, “thinking process required for staff officers” and more while recalling my experience of liaison duty in English and French during the dispatch to Djibouti.
　I will make use of the results of this training in my duty, and continue to make efforts to be able to contribute to the MOD’s security arena based on the precious experience with the instructors and classmates as well as knowledge and thoughts I’ve acquired.
　Thank you very much.

I had the precious opportunity to join the FY2021 UNSOC (special) this time.
　I strongly felt the following two points during the course.
　One is that staff officers who support the function of headquarters also need to understand the history and challenges (such as gender issues and safety ensuring) of peacekeeping operations in the changing international community. I strongly felt this from lectures by the visiting lecturer from out of the SDF and the SDF personnel who is currently working in the United Nations headquarters.
　The other one is that the staff activity stipulated by the UN doctrine has a lot in common with the SDF. And in the group exercises, I truly realized how important it is to logically develop plans while keeping the end state in mind.
　I hope to make use of knowledge and experience gained from this course in my work and further improve myself.

It was extremely fortunate for me to be able to participate in the FY2021 UNSOC (special) thanks to the support of my bosses and colleagues.
　This UNSOC was held under various restrictions compared to the usual year due to the novel coronavirus, but the thorough anti-infection measures, well-devised curriculum, and great instructors made it possible for me to learn a lot of things.
　In this course, I not only learned the basics of international activities but also acquired practical knowledge from the lectures and exercises such as the UN standard planning process, and improved my capability.
　I will push forward with my work building on what I’ve learned in this course.