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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Jan. 27, 2009 No. 09-001 INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS TO VISIT KANSAS GOVERNMENT Forty-seven military officers from 46 nations will visit Topeka on Friday, Feb. 6, to learn about state government and the state judicial system. The International Officers, who are students at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff Officer College (CGSOC), at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., come to Topeka once during their course to learn about state government. "This is an amazing inter-cultural learning exercise," said Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, the Kansas adjutant general. "With so many of our state emergency and military missions and training exercises being joint operations now, this event allows an unprecedented observation of how our governmental agencies work together. The information they learn here helps them better understand who we are as a state and nation and how we can better work together." The officers will arrive at the Memorial Hall Building, 120 SW 10th, at approximately 8 a.m. At 8:25 a.m. Col. Joe Wheeler, the Joint Chief of Staff for the Kansas National Guard, will give a brief overview of the Kansas National Guard's history and current structure. Kansas Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh will speak to the officers at approximately 8:45 a.m. on Kansas government. The officers will then walk to the Kansas Statehouse, where they will meet with Gov. Kathleen Sebelius for a photo at approximately 9:20 a.m. in her Ceremonial Office (245-N). The media will have an opportunity to interview the officers from 9:35 a.m. to approximately 9:50 a.m. in the second floor rotunda. The officers will then be given a tour of the State Capitol building, including the State House of Representatives and State Senate. After the tour of the Capitol the officers will walk to the Judicial Building to hear a presentation on the Kansas court system by the Honorable Lawton R. Nuss, justice of the Kansas Supreme Court. These students represent the finest from each of their countries. Over the years, many of the International Officer students have gone on to key positions in their countries. Twenty-six have become heads of state, 309 have become ministers, ambassadors or representatives, and 2,339 have become general officers in the armies of the world, while 317 have become chiefs of staff of their armed forces. The tradition of International Officers attending the College began in 1894. This year marks the 115th year International Officers have attended Fort Leavenworth. Since 1894, more than 7,200 officers from 153 countries have come for training. The countries represented this year are Australia, Botswana, Canada, Ethiopia, Germany, Israel, Jordan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Saudi Arabia, Slovak Republic, Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom. -30- |
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