Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany - The U.S. Ambassador to Georgia Richard Miles and State Secretary Klaus-Günther Biederbick of the German Ministry of Defense, will both address the Marshall Center’s dual course graduation April 30 at 11 a.m. on Sheridan Kaserne.

The Executive Program and Leaders of the 21st Century Program are sending nearly 200 officers and civilians back to the ministries of Defense, Foreign Affairs, Justice, and other offices dealing with national security in their home countries. After up to 15 weeks of lectures, readings, language instruction, field studies and research, these graduates will take back with them a better understanding of specific security concerns in their region and options and ideas of how to deal with these issues. Previous graduates have gone on to careers as ambassadors, diplomats, ministers, general officers, and leaders of their nations.

Media are invited to cover the graduation remarks of Ambassador Miles and State Secretary Biederbick. Both will be available for a short press availability following the event. The ceremony begins at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 30. Media should arrive not later than 10:45 a.m. For more information and access onto the kaserne, please contact Laura DeFrancisco at 08821-750-648, mobile 0160-908-13761 or email defranciscol@marshallcenter.org.

The Marshall Center is a renowned U.S. Defense Department and German Ministry of Defense educational institution. More than 3,000 military and civilian officials from 51 nations have graduated from resident courses and approximately 11,000 have attended over 183 conferences discussing European and Central Asian security issues since the center was dedicated in 1993.