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Thursday, June 18, 2009 10:33:46 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
I recently had the unique opportunity to participate in the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (http://jcoc.dod.mil/home.jsf) hosted by General Victor Renuart, Commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command. The JCOC is a semi-annual program sponsored by the Secretary of Defense for civilian public opinion leaders interested in growing their knowledge of the military and national defense issues. It's the oldest existing Pentagon outreach program having been held 77 times since 1948 and hosted by the combatant commands around the world.
This year's class was made up of a diverse group of 29 attendees from across the country representing leaders from education, non-profits, government and the private sector. The group included a judge from Florida, a mayor from Virginia, a vice chancellor from Texas A&M University, a famous photographer from Chicago, a school superintendent from Atlanta and the chairman of a financial services company.
I eagerly accepted the invitation to JCOC because, like many other Americans outside of the military, I felt that I had very little knowledge of the structure and inner workings of the armed services. I will even admit that up until 6 months ago, I did not even know what a combatant command was or that NORTHCOM existed. The reality is that most Americans, like myself, read and hear about the military every day but have almost no understanding of how our soldiers are recruited, trained and the missions they tirelessly complete each day that are often served with great cost.
The General and his team, along with JCOC staff, did an incredible job putting together an action packed, five-day agenda which got us up each day at 5 a.m. and in bed by Midnight. Our first full day was kicked off with a briefing by General Renuart at NORAD and NORTHCOM, where we got a briefing by the commander on the missions of the commands, followed by a tour of the NORAD and NORTHCOM command centers at the headquarters at Peterson Air Force, Colo., as well as the commands' Alternate Command Center at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station in South Colorado Springs. As a fan of the movie War Games, it was great to get the chance to see the real thing, which is nothing like what we saw in the movie!
The rest of our trip included visits to San Diego and Albuquerque, N.M., via KC-135s and C-130s. Some of the highlights included Army tank simulators at Fort Carson, Colo.; a dinner hosted by Admiral Card aboard the USS Green Bay in San Diego, experiencing the first 3 minutes of Marines boot camp with a Marine Corps Recruit Depot drill instructor (yes sir - thank you, sir); a tour of the Navy destroyer - the USS Benfold - in San Diego; a ride on a Coast Guard 33 (better than any Six Flags ride); rides on Osprey aircraft at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.; and a tour by cadets of the Air Force Academy when we returned Friday to Colorado Springs, Colo.
This was truly a crash course in the military for the group. Just some of the things I learned that I never knew: George Washington was the only U.S. general appointed to the rank of General of the Armies of The United States (the highest ranking military general in U.S. history), promoted posthumously, as approved by Gerald Ford in 1976; the Coast Guard has participated in every U.S. conflict since its formation in 1790; and that our cyber security is managed by the Air Force.
Beyond all of the base visits, weapons, ships and aircraft, the true highlight of the trip was our time with the individuals who put their lives on the line each day to defend our country. It was truly inspiring to hear about their motivation to join the Armed Forces, their countless stories and their determination to keep us safe. What was noteworthy was that in each instance, whether I spoke with a veteran Navy Seal with James Bond-like missions, a Marine General with tours in Somalia and Iraq, or an army soldier about to go to war, all humbly downplayed the hard work and heroism they demonstrate.
I want to thank the General and his team responsible for putting this memorable trip together. I am much better informed about NORTHCOM's efforts in homeland defense and defense support of civil authorities. I can truly sleep better at night knowing that so many capable, dedicated and determined individuals are keeping us safe.
I have already begun to take this experience, sharing it with my friends, family, colleagues and community and using it as a springboard toward a healthy exchange of ideas about ways the private sector can help to support these vital missions. I will also note that I plan to continue my education and take up Brigadier General Michael Dana's (Director for Logistics, J-4, NORAD and NORTHCOM) suggestion of reading "Ordinary Men," by Christopher Browning - just one of the books that the well-read general suggested.
- Jason Liebman, CEO and Co-Founder, Howcast Media, Inc. (www.howcast.com)
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