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FORT CARSON, Colo. - A group of 17 educators and community partners from Arizona joined leadership from the Phoenix Recruiting Battalion for an Educators Tour of Fort Carson, Colo., March 27-28.
The purpose of the tour was to provide a comprehensive orientation and overview of Fort Carson for the attendees, who included teachers, community leaders and counselors.
The tour highlighted the capabilities and activities offered at Fort Carson, including a visit to the 10th Special Forces Group, a guided tour of the Army World Class Athletes program, briefs from combat medics and educational staff, a performance from the 4th Infantry Division Band and an opportunity to participate in a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) simulator.
The tour also showcased Army facilities, housing, as well as the everyday activities undertaken by service members on Fort Carson.
The tour was led by Lt. Col. Scott Morley, commander, Phoenix. Rec. Bn., who was joined by company commanders from the Phoenix Central, West and Tucson Recruiting Companies.
Morley said the tour was the most important event of the year for the battalion, as it allowed them to showcase elements of the Army the attendees might not be familiar with.
“The Educators Tour is our number one priority for the entire year. It allowed us to show educators, leaders and lawmakers, what life is really like in the Army,” Morley said. “This included the quality of our Soldiers and the benefits and opportunities the Army can provide.”
Morley said the Educators Tour is one of the most powerful tools United States Army Recruiting Command has to offer.
“It helps them influence our communities and shows them how good life in the Army really is,” he said. “It allowed us first hand to show our community partners some of the more than 150 jobs that are available in the Army.”
“Most importantly they got to see the quality of Soldiers that fill those jobs,” Morley said.
The tour also helped improve communication and recruiting efforts between the education establishment and Community Partners, including encouragement of individual relationships with education administrators, counselors, and teachers in the battalion area of operations.
Attending the trip was Arthur Melendez, clinical psychologist, Phoenix Job Corps, who said the trip was extremely informative and helped him gain a better insight into how the Army operates.
“It has given me a new look at what the Army really is. Unfortunately before this tour, I had the same impression of the military as much of society – you join, fight in a war and come back damaged,” Melendez said. “It’s nothing like that. What I’ve seen is a lot about education – free education – which is phenomenal. These Soldiers are going to get a career.”
Melendez said he talked to various Soldiers at Fort Carson, none of whom regretted joining the Army and were thankful for the opportunities it’s provided them.
“They all told me they never had any real goals before joining the Army, but now have a realistic future ahead of them, which they may not have gotten straight from college,” he said. “It helps them become a lot more advanced than those who don’t join, helping them succeed in civilian life.”
The highlight of the tour for Melendez was the HMMWV simulator, where the group was able to experience a virtual patrol, with combat elements added.
“The simulator was an amazing experience. To be able to interact with the vehicle and engage in simulated combat was exciting,” he said. “I was able to come out of my normal self and do something I never have before. I didn’t want it to end.”
Melendez said he also enjoyed hearing the stories of Soldiers they interacted with, something he said he will take back to his students at the Job Corps to encourage with their futures.
“I work with students that are 16-24 years old, who for some reason couldn’t function in high school,” Melendez said. “So when I talked to these Soldiers, mentally I put street clothes on them and they could be any of my students. The military is something I will be educating my students on after this trip. It’s something they should be thinking about.”
Also attending the tour was Parrish Spisz, council aide, City of Tempe, who said as a former Marine, the tour was a chance to see how the military has changed over the years.
“I was struck by the technological advances, especially with the combat medics and how they’re trained,” Spisz said. “The training and the things they’re learning are preparing them for a civilian career. The whole idea of the military being a last resort is a thing of the past.”
Spisz said he was encouraged by the Soldiers he talked to at Fort Carson, describing them as bright and motivated, with real purpose in their lives.
“They’re all advancing, whether it be taking college courses or gaining certifications in their current job,” he said. “There’s a wealth of opportunities in the Army and it’s good to see these Soldiers taking advantage of them.”
“The U.S. Army is equipped with talented, fine people and they’re doing a great job,” he added.
Spisz said he would be able to take back things he learned from the tour and become a community spokesperson for the Army in Tempe.
“I work closely with local schools and I now feel I can educate them on what Army life is really like,” Spisz said. “There’s a job for anyone who wants to join the Army. All the things people do at college, they can do in the Army too. That’s something people need to know.”
| Date Taken: | 03.31.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 04.01.2019 15:48 |
| Story ID: | 316462 |
| Location: | FORT CARSON, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 86 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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