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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 16, 2009 No. 09-076 INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS TO VISIT KANSAS GOVERNMENT Sixty-seven military officers from 59 nations will visit Topeka on Friday, July 17, 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 a great opportunity for these officers to learn the concept of the citizen-soldier and how it fits into our state and national defense picture,” said Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, the adjutant general. “Many of these nations have no equivalent to the National Guard.” “This visit is also beneficial to help them understand our system of government, which may be very different from their own," he continued, “how our three-branch system with its checks and balances help keep our leaders accountable to the people they represent.” The officers will arrive at the Memorial Hall Building, 120 SW 10th, at approximately 8 a.m. At 8:25 a.m. Brig. Gen. Deborah Rose, director of the Joint 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. Mark Parkinson for a photo at approximately 9:20 a.m. in his 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-eight have become heads of state, over 300 have become ministers, ambassadors or representatives, and over 2,500 have become general officers in the armies of the world, while over 300 have become chiefs of staff of their armed forces. The tradition of International Officers attending the College began in 1894. Since 1894, more than 7,200 officers from 155 countries have come for training. Some of the countries represented this year are Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Colombia, Germany, Honduras, Israel, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and United Kingdom. -30- Follow the Kansas Adjutant General’s Department on Twitter at http://twitter.com/KSAdjutantGen |
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