On May 15, 1957, the first chief of staff of the "Bundeswehr", General Heusinger, spoke at the opening of the new Army Academy ("Heeresakademie"), pointing out that General Staff officers are "the defenders and guardians of the values of German military tradition", extending back 147 years. German students are admitted to the Army Academy after studying at a Federal Armed Forces University ("Universität der Bundeswehr") in Hamburg or Munich, followed by several years of line duty. Officers from other NATO countries are their classmates. The academy also teaches a 10-month Army General Staff Officer Course for officers from non-NATO countries.