Colonel earns master's degree

Army Col. Anthony K. Whitson has graduated from the U.S. Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Carlisle, Pa., with a master's degree in strategic studies. The college is the Army's senior educational institution.

The 10-month curriculum of the Army's senior officer school is designed to prepare and train officers of all the U.S. military branches of service, foreign military officers, as well as senior civilian officials of federal agencies, to serve in top-level command and staff positions with the U.S. Armed Forces worldwide, a news release said.

Whitson has served in the military for 25 years.

He is the son of Charles D. Whitson of Walnut Street, Rolla, Mo.

His wife, Mary Burchett, is the daughter of Frank Burchett of Holbrook Street, and Ruth Burchett of Crawford Street, both of Fort Scott, Kan.

The colonel is the father of Haley McIllwain of Eastwood Drive, Clarksville, Tenn.

He is a 1981 graduate of Rolla High School, Mo. He received a bachelor's degree in 1986 from Missouri State University, Springfield, and a master's degree in 2001 from Naval War College, Newport, R.I.