UFF Focus on Education to Save Lives

Strategic Education in Action: Seminars with Rear Admiral Montgomery and Major General Corcoran

Recently, Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery, USN (Ret.), and Major General Charles Corcoran, USAF (Ret.), visited Ukraine and took part in the Kyiv Mohyla Business School’s Strategic Leadership Programme and Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. They also participated in special seminars with the General Staff.

Known as “Monty” and “Corky,” they emphasized the importance of Joint Principles—demonstrating how coordinated staff planning at all levels increases organizational effectiveness and resource efficiency. In practice, this saves money, equipment—and most importantly—lives.

Trust and Ethics in Military Leadership

UFF recognizes how easy it can be for senior leaders to view soldiers’ lives as just another commodity.

That’s why we prioritize education programs that promote trust, ethics, and accountability in leadership.

Our initiatives empower decision-makers with the mindset and tools to minimize loss while achieving strategic success.

Joint Operations: Defining a Western Military Standard

Definition: Joint Operations involve participation from multiple branches of the armed forces—Army, Navy, Air Force—maximizing the core principles of war: Objective, Unity of Effort, Economy of Force, Unity of Command, and Offensive Action.

Success in Joint Operations depends on:

• Synchronized military doctrines across all services and support functions.
• Unified training for joint headquarters staff.
• Maximum interoperability and standardization of systems.
• Application of Maneuver Warfare and Mission Command — empowering local commanders to act independently within the framework of the overall intent.

These principles enable precision, speed, and effectiveness even against a larger enemy force.

Defense Planning: Integrating Euro-Atlantic Standards

The shift to Western-style defense requires Ukraine to reform its planning systems using a program-project management approach. This is essential as defense spending has increased tenfold in the last four years, largely due to partner support and the transition from Soviet to Western equipment.

Sustainable defense planning now must:

• Prepare for long-term operational and life-cycle costs.
• Ensure alignment with available resources.
• Anticipate a gradual reduction in partner support.
• Support NATO accession goals, which require deep reforms across all sectors: political, legal, economic, and military.

Countries from the former socialist bloc typically need 6–8 years to align with NATO standards. Newer democracies like Sweden and Finland move faster due to already mature governance structures.

What UFF Accomplished (as of July 30, 2025)

• 1,953 personnel trained, including:
• 36 Flag Officers & 72 General Staff
• 404 Corps, Brigade & Battalion Staff Officers
• 252 Cadre from military academies
• 961 Cadets—the future leadership of Ukraine

Why It Works

A 2025 independent Ukrainian case study revealed the life-saving impact of UFF’s training:

• 30% reduction in casualties among UFF’s trained units
• Improved coordination and faster decision-making under fire
• Empowered junior leaders acting with clarity and purpose
• Officers reporting a cultural awakening: “For the first time, I was trusted to think. And that saved my men.” Another general remarked bluntly, “The old system is killing people. This training is how we survive.”

UFF believes that saving lives starts long before the battlefield.

Through training, strategic education, and coordinated action, we help Ukrainian defenders make smarter decisions, faster — and with fewer casualties.

Thank you for standing with Ukraine!