A big academy in a small city

lunes 24 de abril de 2017

Número: 45

When thinking about military academies in Zaragoza, the first name that often springs to mind is the General Military Academy (AGM). This is unless the soldier in question belongs to a Specialist Technical Force (AET), in which case he/she will more likely think further southwest of the province, towards Calatayud. In this small town of little more than 20,000 inhabitants, another great military academy of the province can be found, the Logistics Academy (ACLOG), where each year hundreds of students complete their training or retrain. These constitute two of the areas of activity of the academy, but the variety of activites is much wider and includes higher education courses for officials, conferences and distance learning.

DISTINGUISHED BY THE GOLDEN EAGLE

Students join the ACLOG in order to undertake military training to become NCOs (EMIES) or change their specialism, many of them with previous involvement in the Army. The academy becomes theirs from the moment they arrive and for the rest of their lives. Training and changes in specialism are the two areas that make up the greatest number of students at ACLOG.

Alumnos de la Agrupación de Especialidades Aeronáuticas practican casos reales.

Currently, future sergeants can choose six Technical Specialisms: Automation, Aircraft Maintenance, Weaponry and Equipment Maintenance, Telecommunications and Electronics, Information Technology and Team Maintenance and Mounting of Equipment. The length of courses for sergeants is three academic years. Specialists spend almost the entire programme at ACLOG, apart from the first four months, which are held at the Basic General Academy of NCOS and, for the start of the third year, students complete practical training at Army units. This course length encourages the Academy to grow, for example through giving workshops in more than one institute or Professional Training centre. This has also allowed the incorporation of around thirty civilians to teach subjects for civilian degrees. Other students who are distinguished by the golden eagle (the symbol of the Specialists) are those who change specialism and troop personnel with a permanent/long-term commitment to at least six years of service. Through academic courses, they can complete the workforce of the different Army units. The courses they take correspond to Hospitality, Plates and Wielding, Vehicle Maintenance, Aircraft Maintenance, Electronic and Telecommunications Maintenance, Weaponry and Equipment Maintenance and Health Care.

A PLACE OF RETRAINING

Military specialisation courses, part of the retraining programme

As a military teaching centre, the ACLOG also shares the responisbility of delivering different courses that are classed as retraining, through which soldiers can redirect their career, opening themselves up to other areas of activity or opportunity. The Military Police (commands as well as troops) and Army security have to go through a vigorous selection process (which includes an individual interview) before starting courses of this nature, which is run by the ACLOG Military Police Department. As well as theoretical learning, the Academy also have various facilities for practical teaching. For example, in one of the buildings there is a classroom that has a pretend house in order to carry out training for robberies, drug trafficking, domestic violence and, in another classroom, there is a pretend police station. They also use the faciltiies at a sports centre, as there are many hours dedicated to personal defence during the course.

Agenda de noticias en versión HTML

A big academy in a small city

DISTINGUISHED BY THE GOLDEN EAGLE

A PLACE OF RETRAINING

UNIDADES DEL EJÉRCITO

ENLACES DESTACADOS