ISD JROTC Cadets Visit Historic Fort Leavenworth

More than 40 student-cadets from all three ISD high schools toured historic Fort Leavenworth (Kan.), glancing at the past while gazing into their potential future. Cadets spent much of their day exploring the elite Command and General Staff College (CGSC), highlighted by a special briefing from the college’s chief of staff.

“CGSC is the master’s degree-level program for mid-grade, career military officers and is focused on educating officers in the military arts and sciences at the strategic and operational level,” said retired Army Lt. Col. Michael Byrd, Van Horn’s senior JROTC instructor. Only about 1,000 specially screened and selected officers are admitted to the CGSC every year.

Cadets toured the Lewis and Clark Military History Center and spent time in Marshall Hall, a command simulation center where ‘live,’ real-time audio/video feeds can be shown from U.S. military operations centers worldwide. Before leaving the historic site, cadets visited the post museum and Buffalo Soldier Memorial Park, honoring the early black cavalry troops known to the native people as ‘buffalo soldiers.’ Byrd told students two regiments of cavalry were posted at Fort Leavenworth during U.S. westward expansion to help protect the trails, wagon trains and settlers.

“It was a day well spent,” he said, “and a strong indicator for the cadets of the importance of lifelong learning to continued future success.”