By Keith J. Hamel, WPAOG Staff
Since 1960, nearly 150 West Point graduates have pursued graduate study as Olmsted Scholars, many of whom later rose to important positions of senior leadership in the Army (including Ambassador and General John P. Abizaid ’73 [Retired], former Commander, U.S. Central Command; and Lieutenant General Patrick J. Donahue ’80 [Retired], former Deputy Commander, U.S. Army Forces Command). Soon, Captain Louis A. Beto ’14, who is currently serving with the 1st Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) [5th SFG(A)] as the Support Center Director for Special Operations Task Force-Levant, supporting various Special Forces Operational Detachment-Alphas (SFOD-A’s) scattered throughout the Middle East, will join this distinguished group.
In March, Beto was selected by the George and Carol Olmsted Foundation to be a member of the Olmsted Scholar Class of 2025. Over the next three years, while on a full scholarship in Istanbul, Turkey, he will complete language training and two years of graduate studies in international relations, during which time he’ll conduct research, write his assignments, and speak to others in the target language. “During my last couple of deployments [which included Baghdad, Iraq and Deir ez-Sor, Syria], I learned you had to be able to speak the language and you had to understand the culture, norms, and short- and long-term interests of your SFOD-A’s partners to make worthwhile, enduring impacts on the mission,” Beto says. “These experiences shaped my interest to pursue schooling abroad and become completely immersed in a new culture.” Upon completion of his program, Beto will join other West Point graduates serving in the Special Forces as Olmsted Scholars. “In 5th SFG(A) alone one can easily see the return on investment with someone like Colonel Ken Wainwright ’02, who studied in Jerusalem in 2012 before returning to his area of responsibility in 2020 as the Commander of 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group,” Beto says. From Beto’s perspective, this aligns with the vision General Olmsted, Class of 1922, had following his experiences in post-war China, and it demonstrates the intent of the Olmsted Foundation’s Scholar Program: for military leaders to learn a foreign language and become familiar with a foreign culture in preparation for their future service. “This exemplifies service for me,” Beto says. “It demonstrates a serious dedication to the Profession of Arms.”
Beto—who has also served with the 504th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division—credits his time as a squad leader during the second detail of Cadet Basic Training with preparing him for his Army assignments. “It was invaluable for me,” he says. “It was the first experience to significantly impact my nascent leadership style.” Beto also found the informal conversations with instructors at the end of class to be priceless. “Their stories and the lessons they imparted informed my expectations and established the framework for ‘what right looks like,’ and their impact on me continues to this day.”
Beto expects that his experience as an Olmsted Scholar will enhance his perspective, expand his grasp of international relations, and ultimately influence what he brings to the table as a leader in the Army. “The incredible foresight General Olmsted had in identifying the need for leaders to be broadly educated is as relevant today as it was in the inaugural Olmsted Scholar Class of 1960,” he says. “U.S. priorities, geographical locations, partners, competitors, and adversaries may vary over time, but the concept of service remains the same.” Like previous scholars, Beto will return to his branch of service, rejoin the team, and make contributions at the field-grade level. As he says, “Maintaining one’s full-time commitment to serve alongside America’s best in difficult places, facing difficult problem-sets, is the kind of service that should be expected of West Point graduates.”
Read the complete Summer 2024 edition of West Point magazine here.
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