Major and Pilot Águeda Elizamera Roque Fritzen of the Angolan National Air Force successfully completed the Strategic Military Planning Course in the United States of America with an “A” grade.
En anglais
Major/Pilot Águeda Elizamera Roque Fritzen, Commander of the 2nd Operational Squadron of the Fighter-Bomber Air Regiment (RACB) of the Angolan National Air Force (FAN), completed the Strategic Military Planning Course with an “A” grade. The course was conducted by the Joint and Combined Warfighting School (JCWS) of the National Defense University (NDU) in the United States of America.
The graduation ceremony for Class 26 TAC 3 was held on August 28 at McArthur Auditorium in Norfolk, Virginia, and was attended by senior U.S. military and civilian officials, foreign diplomatic and military representatives, faculty members, family members, and invited guests. Angola was represented by Brigadier Custódio Livulo, Defense Attaché at the Embassy of the Republic of Angola in the United States of America.
Held from June 22 to August 28, 2026, the course brought together 132 participants, including U.S. military personnel, foreign officers, and civilian representatives from various government agencies. In addition to Angola, officers from Saudi Arabia, Colombia, South Korea, Poland, Mozambique, and Georgia participated in the program.
The course focused on strategic military planning, joint and combined operations, leadership, and multinational cooperation, with the aim of preparing participants to perform duties in complex operational environments requiring a high degree of interoperability.
Major/Pilot Águeda Fritzen’s participation is particularly significant, as she became the first member of the Angolan Armed Forces to attend this course. Her “A” grade, reflecting outstanding academic performance, is a recognition of her professional preparation and positively enhances the standing of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) within the international military education and training environment.
Her achievement also represents another milestone in the advancement and recognition of women within the Angolan Armed Forces, particularly in areas of significant responsibility such as strategic planning, leadership, and decision-making.
This distinction follows the outstanding performance of Lieutenant Colonel/Clinical Psychologist Gizelma Jacinto Matias, Deputy Director of the Psychology and Training Center of the Angolan National Air Force (CPSIFAN), who also earned an “A” grade in the Command and Staff Course at the Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.
The participation of Angolan officers in these programs forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen professional capacity and enhance the human capital of the Angolan Armed Forces, while also deepening military cooperation between Angola and the United States of America. These initiatives contribute to building an increasingly capable force prepared to address contemporary security and defense challenges.
