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At 35, and 17 years into my career in the Canadian Forces, I consider myself fortunate to be attending Intermediate Level Education at the Command and General Staff School here in Fort Leavenworth, smack dab in the middle of the United States of America.
I am not alone in counting my blessings. At any given time, there are approximately 135 international military students stationed at Fort Leavenworth at CGSS and the School of Advanced Military Studies. Each of us is richer for the experience and will leave the United States with a greater understanding of American society, culture and politics, and having made many great friends.
For most of us, our integration into American society begins the moment we hit U.S. soil. For foreign students, the International Military Student Sponsor Program, cooperatively run by the U.S. Army, the Leavenworth/Lansing Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Kansas City Chapter of People to People International, matches each student with three sponsors: a Fort Leavenworth sponsor that is either military or a Department of Defense civilian, a Leavenworth sponsor, and a Kansas City sponsor. While helping the new students get settled in the community and familiar with their new environs, it is not uncommon for life-long friendships to be formed over the course of the year. On any given weekend, students may have invitations from their sponsors for lunches, dinners or outings in the Leavenworth-Kansas City area, especially on special U.S. holidays such as the 4th of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The small, professional staff of the International Military Student Division does an outstanding job of administering the students, organizing social events, executing the Field Studies Program, and seeing to our integration. Our integration includes three weeks of classes before our American counterparts arrive about the U.S. Army, U.S. culture, politics, law and English-language proficiency.
Throughout the year, the Field Studies Program takes the students on trips to visit local, state and national legislatures, and myriad other places to learn about U.S. history and culture, government, the judicial system, health care, the education system, and local business/economics. Highlights for the students include visits to the Kansas State Legislature and Supreme Court, the Truman and Eisenhower Presidential Libraries, the Cessna plant in Wichita, Faultless Starch in Kansas City and the weeklong trip to Gettysburg, Pa., and Washington, D.C.
Being here during an election year will be interesting. The 24-7 election media coverage will help ensure that we become thoroughly familiar with the pros and cons of the two-party political system. It looks like that class on the Electoral College will come in handy after all.
While international students come to Fort Leavenworth for the military education, each of us will leave the United States with a valuable appreciation of U.S. culture, customs and her great institutions. What will be cherished most by many of us, however, are the bonds and camaraderie established among the international students, with our American classmates, and with the greater Fort Leavenworth community. Because we hail from all over the world, it is impossible not to learn about and appreciate our representative cultures, religions and perspectives.
For example, many of the international students are Muslim and during a field studies trip during Ramadan, they took the time to carefully explain to the rest of us the significance of the holy month of Ramadan and the importance of why and how they fast during that period. I personally have great respect for my Muslim brothers-in-arms who fasted all day, each and every day during that trip, and managed to endure a full-day of activities while the rest of us ate three square meals a day.
The positive experiences of our families are a direct result of the wealth of community and post services, resources, programs and activities available to them. There is no shortage of opportunities for spouses to meet socially, to teach or learn English, or to volunteer their time elsewhere. We are also grateful for the excellent administrators and teachers at the schools, both on and off post, who make sure our children feel comfortable and receive the best education possible during their short stay here.
Some international students and families choose to give back to the community by volunteering with Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and the Knights of Columbus, or by coaching children in sports or helping with church youth groups. It is our small way to give back to the community.
Our time here in Fort Leavenworth has been so much more than just military education. We have learned a great deal about ourselves and the positive aspects of U.S. society, politics and culture. When our time comes to depart Fort Leavenworth, each of us will say “goodbye” to both American and international friends made throughout our tenure here. We will depart Fort Leavenworth knowing full well that we have left one of the friendliest and supportive military communities of our careers, and just maybe, we will come to the realization that we have just concluded, as we are oft reminded, “the best year of our lives.”
Editor’s note: Canadian Maj. Sonny T. Hatton is a student in the 2012-01 ILE class.
At 35, and 17 years into my career in the Canadian Forces, I consider myself fortunate to be attending Intermediate Level Education at the Command and General Staff School here in Fort Leavenworth, smack dab in the middle of the United States of America.
I am not alone in counting my blessings. At any given time, there are approximately 135 international military students stationed at Fort Leavenworth at CGSS and the School of Advanced Military Studies. Each of us is richer for the experience and will leave the United States with a greater understanding of American society, culture and politics, and having made many great friends.
For most of us, our integration into American society begins the moment we hit U.S. soil. For foreign students, the International Military Student Sponsor Program, cooperatively run by the U.S. Army, the Leavenworth/Lansing Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Kansas City Chapter of People to People International, matches each student with three sponsors: a Fort Leavenworth sponsor that is either military or a Department of Defense civilian, a Leavenworth sponsor, and a Kansas City sponsor. While helping the new students get settled in the community and familiar with their new environs, it is not uncommon for life-long friendships to be formed over the course of the year. On any given weekend, students may have invitations from their sponsors for lunches, dinners or outings in the Leavenworth-Kansas City area, especially on special U.S. holidays such as the 4th of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The small, professional staff of the International Military Student Division does an outstanding job of administering the students, organizing social events, executing the Field Studies Program, and seeing to our integration. Our integration includes three weeks of classes before our American counterparts arrive about the U.S. Army, U.S. culture, politics, law and English-language proficiency.
Throughout the year, the Field Studies Program takes the students on trips to visit local, state and national legislatures, and myriad other places to learn about U.S. history and culture, government, the judicial system, health care, the education system, and local business/economics. Highlights for the students include visits to the Kansas State Legislature and Supreme Court, the Truman and Eisenhower Presidential Libraries, the Cessna plant in Wichita, Faultless Starch in Kansas City and the weeklong trip to Gettysburg, Pa., and Washington, D.C.
Being here during an election year will be interesting. The 24-7 election media coverage will help ensure that we become thoroughly familiar with the pros and cons of the two-party political system. It looks like that class on the Electoral College will come in handy after all.
While international students come to Fort Leavenworth for the military education, each of us will leave the United States with a valuable appreciation of U.S. culture, customs and her great institutions. What will be cherished most by many of us, however, are the bonds and camaraderie established among the international students, with our American classmates, and with the greater Fort Leavenworth community. Because we hail from all over the world, it is impossible not to learn about and appreciate our representative cultures, religions and perspectives.
For example, many of the international students are Muslim and during a field studies trip during Ramadan, they took the time to carefully explain to the rest of us the significance of the holy month of Ramadan and the importance of why and how they fast during that period. I personally have great respect for my Muslim brothers-in-arms who fasted all day, each and every day during that trip, and managed to endure a full-day of activities while the rest of us ate three square meals a day.
The positive experiences of our families are a direct result of the wealth of community and post services, resources, programs and activities available to them. There is no shortage of opportunities for spouses to meet socially, to teach or learn English, or to volunteer their time elsewhere. We are also grateful for the excellent administrators and teachers at the schools, both on and off post, who make sure our children feel comfortable and receive the best education possible during their short stay here.
Some international students and families choose to give back to the community by volunteering with Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and the Knights of Columbus, or by coaching children in sports or helping with church youth groups. It is our small way to give back to the community.
Our time here in Fort Leavenworth has been so much more than just military education. We have learned a great deal about ourselves and the positive aspects of U.S. society, politics and culture. When our time comes to depart Fort Leavenworth, each of us will say “goodbye” to both American and international friends made throughout our tenure here. We will depart Fort Leavenworth knowing full well that we have left one of the friendliest and supportive military communities of our careers, and just maybe, we will come to the realization that we have just concluded, as we are oft reminded, “the best year of our lives.”
Editor’s note: Canadian Maj. Sonny T. Hatton is a student in the 2012-01 ILE class.
