U.S. War College: Buhari got our Diploma in 1980

U.S. War College: Buhari got our Diploma in 1980

The controversy trailing the certificate saga of the
presidential candidate of the All Progressives
Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd),
may have been laid to rest with the confirmation by
the United States Army War College (USAWC) that
the former Head of State obtained a diploma in 1980.

The Public Affairs Officer of the College, Carol Kerr,
confirmed this after an enquiry.

She said Buhari got a Diploma from the College in
1980 when he was a Colonel in the Nigerian Army.

USAWC is a United States Army institution in
Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on the 500 acre (2 km²)
campus of the historic Carlisle Barracks.

It provides graduate level instruction to senior military officers
and civilians to prepare them for senior leadership
assignments and responsibilities. Each year, a
number of Colonels and Lieutenant Colonels are
considered by a board for admission.

Approximately 800 students attend at any one time, half in a two-
year-long distance learning programme, and the
other half in an on-campus full-time resident
programme lasting 10 months. Upon completion, the
college grants its graduates a Master’s Degree in
Strategic Studies.

Established from the principles learned in the
Spanish-American War, the College was founded by
Secretary of War, Elihu Root, and formally
established by General Order 155 on November 27,
1901. Washington Barracks — now called Fort Lesley
J. McNair — in Washington, D.C. was chosen as the
site. Former President Theodore Roosevelt attended
the Masonic laying of the cornerstone of Roosevelt
Hall on February 21, 1903.

The first president of the Army War College was
Major General Samuel B. M. Young in July, 1902 and
the first students attended the College in 1904. Since
then, it has been awarding Diploma.

The first Master’s Degree was awarded to the class of Year
2000, that was 15 years after Buhari was toppled in
a military coup led by General Ibrahim Babangida.

According to U.S. Army regulation 10–44, the
mission of the War College is “to prepare selected
military, civilian and international leaders for the
responsibilities of strategic leadership, educate
current and future leaders on the development and
employment of landpower in a joint, multinational
and inter-agency environment; conduct research and
publish on national security and military strategy;
and engage in activities in support of the Army’s
strategic communication efforts.”

While answering “A Request for Graduation
Information for Muhammadu Buhari”, Kerr replied:
“Nigerian Colonel Muhammadu Buhari is a graduate
of the US Army War College Class of 1980 and earned
a US Army War College diploma. Note: The Army War
College first awarded Master’s Degree to the class of
2000”.

Kerr also sent a copy of the statement to the Public
Affairs Office, 122, Forbes Avenue, Carlisle, PA
17013-5234.