Democracy and Human Rights
The mission of WHINSEC is to educate and train military, police, and civilians within the context of the democratic principles set forth in the Charter of the Organization of the American States (OAS). This mandate is explicitly stated in the public law that created WHINSEC in 2001 and adheres to the hemisphere-wide desire to maintain peace, prosperity, and freedom for all the people of the region. The Institute has developed and implemented meaningful and effective training in democracy, ethics and human rights, making our program among the best offered by military educational institutions anywhere.
Democracy, Ethics and Human Rights Program
The Democracy, Ethics and Human Rights Program in the Institute fulfills the congressionally-mandated mission of promoting understanding and respect for democratic values and institutions, human rights, the rule of law, due process and civilian control of a nation’s armed forces. A comprehensive three-hour class provides an overview of U.S. democracy and the traditions, customs and practices common to most U.S. citizens. A minimum of eight hours of training in the Human Rights Class creates a culture of respect for human rights. Offered at the beginning of each course, these classes demonstrate how deeply embedded U.S. values, respect for the rule of law and our constitutional structure have maintained a strong democracy and uninterrupted civilian control of the military throughout our history. At the opening of the course, the commandant specifically addresses the need for ethical behavior, and during each course, the institute chaplain presents a two-hour class on ethics.
Field Studies Program Supports Democracy and Human Rights
The Department of Defense-mandated Field Studies Program introduces students to U.S. democratic customs and traditions outside the classroom environment. Additionally, the Institute encourages students to use weekends to see “democracy in action” at the local, state, and federal level. To reinforce the self-learning available to each student, the Institute has structured events to ensure that key points of classroom instruction are emphasized.
Students who attend the Command and General Staff Officer and the Captains Career courses take part in trips to Washington, D.C., where they see first hand the United States federal government and meet with non-governmental organizations. Also, international students from the Command and General Staff Course, who are in the US for a year and bring families, are linked to civilian sponsors and their families in the Columbus community. Students meet local officials; witness our open local, state, and national governments; view public housing and other socially oriented programs; and learn about the Civil Rights Movement and other historically significant events in the development of the United States.