Command spouse leadership course celebrates 20th anniversary

NEWPORT, R.I. – Over the past 20 years, spouses of prospective Navy and Marine Corps commanding officers have attended the Command Spouse Leadership Course (CSLC), which originally started at the Command Leadership School and is now being held at the Naval Leadership and Ethics Center in Newport, Rhode Island. 

“We are grateful to our founding members and are in awe of how this course has evolved and grown over the last 20 years,” said Meredith Shafley, deputy director, CSLC steering committee.

The CSLC is an intense one-week course for spouses of commanding officers who are en route to their command. The course is designed to complement the Command Leadership Course that the prospective commanding officers attend. 

The course is designed for spouses to supplement their knowledge of the choices and contributions they might make to the command as a commanding officer’s spouse. Based on personal values and preferences, each spouse develops a personal vision statement. The prospective commanding officer and spouse then develop a command tour charter which is the capstone for the course. 

“Attending the Command Spouse Leadership Course is a unique opportunity to educate and empower spouses to successfully support their service member and command families throughout the command tour,” said Shafley.

Spouses receive the most up-to-date information on base agencies and programs. They learn about Navy family resources on and off base, communication, leadership styles, crisis management and many other valuable tools that they can use when they get to their new location.

The course also gives spouses an awareness of leadership and management skills that can help to enhance positive contributions to the family, command and community environments. It deals with issues that are likely to arise in connection with command responsibilities; and provides ideas on ways to maintain comm