The General Staff Academy of the Imperial Service trains military officers in the administrative, staff and policy aspects of their profession. The General Staff Academy provides two different course levels to officers, in order to pass them to senior officers (i.e. to Major/Commander, at the War School) and to General/Flag officers (i.e. to Brigadier General/Commodore, at the Staff School).
The GSA courses, especially those of the War School, act as filters for promotion or entry into a specialist staff corps. The length of courses varies up to two years, with all having entrance and exit examinations.
War School[]
An officer may apply only after ten years of active service after graduation from the Imperial Military Academy. Within that ten-year period, most applicants also graduate from one or more specialized technical training schools.
Staff School[]
Officers selected for this academy have first attended the appropriate branch education. Graduates who are not already generals or admirals usually are promoted to this rank a short time after completing the course. Length of the academy is only two years, in contrast to the three years for the basic academies.