Strategic Studies Department: Fall Staff Ride

By Masha Bolotinskaya

Did you ever wonder what all those clever FSR advertisements around campus were all about? The FSR stands for the Fall Staff Ride, a proud military tradition of taking a group of military personnel on a tour analyzing and discussing a particular campaign, hence why Strategic Studies students organize this event three times a year. This tradition dates back to the mid 1800s, when the Prussian army began taking military groups on such trips. This idea was picked up by the United States Army in the early 1900s and still takes place today.

In the case of the SAIS Strategic Studies Staff Rides, although this trip is organized and subsidized by the Strategic Studies program, the Staff Ride is open to students of all concentrations at SAIS. This past weekend 44 Staff Riders and three professors and distinguished guests braved the cold and damp weather to study the forgotten war of 1812 or the Chesapeake campaign. Of the 44 participants, 20% of the students came from a non-Strategic Studies concentration. The Staff Ride was organized by two strategic studies second year students, Gabe Serrato and Adam Pappas. The organizers had several goals in mind: looking at how strategy and logistics shape operations, how to get out of a war (de-escalate the conflict), joint coordination, and the United States as a rising power. Each student and faculty member was assigned a role based on the aspects of the campaign the group was studying and the participant’s personal interests. The trip included war profiteers and sailors, senators, an American president and his wife, the British foreign minister, Emperor or General (depending on how you felt about him) Napoleon, and many more.

Each student and faculty received a role and was responsible for researching a few questions about the historical figure. The participant was free to interpret their role to their taste and talents, and during various points on the Staff Ride, each participant made a short presentation as their historical figure. Costumes, wacky accents, and ostentatious and sometimes outrageous claims are made during these Staff Rides. The audience, in character or as today’s students of history, asks well informed questions about this situation. This was not a re-enactment, but a serious study of a military campaign from the perspective of the group from that time period as well as from today and is both a lot of fun and incredibly informative. For example, I learned that the Star Spangled Banner, the United States national anthem was written during a decisive battle during this war. Mostly forgotten (placed in the Hall of Forgotten Wars in the Navy Yard Museum), this war played a pivotal role in the shaping of the United States.

But what Staff Ride is complete without Dolly Madison, in costume and freezing, fleeing the White House (called the Presidential Mansion at the time), or outrageous claims and egos presented by both faculty and students? Here are a few choice quotes to give you a taste of the experience,

“ …had the technology been invented, I would have been sent into space…and if you address me as Emperor, I will now take your questions.” – Andrew Rothgraber as Napoleon Bonaparte

“Great men are often ahead of their times…so I had to kill myself.” – Mateo Faini as the British Foreign Minister

And my personal favorite, “Say that you entered an eating contest and you find out that it is gefilte fish that you will be eating. Now let me ask you, is it really worth it?” – Sam Abrams as Lord Liverpool

I find Strategic Studies Staff Rides a lot of fun, very educational, a chance to be a tourist in the DC-VA-MD area, and a great opportunity to connect with students and faculty in a meaningful and entertaining way.

If you missed the Fall Staff Ride, you will have two more chances to go in the spring of 2010. The two staff rides that are coming up are the International Staff Ride where lucky Staff Riders are going to study the fall of France at the beginning of World War II and will jet to France and Belgium (applications coming out this week). The other Spring Staff Ride will take place after finals in May 2010, and the campaign the Staff Riders will be studying is yet to be determined. Don’t miss your chance to experience this and apply!

Masha Bolotinskaya is a second year M.A. candidate in both Middle East and Russian and Eurasian Studies.