NY National Guard Supports Local Student Studies

• by New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs

ITHACA, NY (10/22/2009)(readMedia)-- Students from the Homer High School in Homer, N.Y. and Tompkins-Cortland Community College will get a first hand look and feel for the American military experience this Friday when they meet with Soldiers from the New York Army National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry.

WHO: Approximately 28 high school seniors, juniors, and a few sophomores, currently enrolled in the American Military History elective course at Homer High School.

WHAT: Familiarization tour at the New York Army National Guard's Company D of the 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry Regiment.

WHERE: New York State Armory, 1765 Hanshaw Road, Ithaca, N.Y. 14850

WHEN: 11 a.m on Friday, October 23, 2009.

BACKGROUND:

Students in Joe Cortese's Homer High School Social Studies class are studying guerrilla warfare and counterinsurgencies this semester. The field trip to the New York Army National Guard armory has become an integral part of the course.

Joining the local students will be approximately one dozen foreign exchange students from Tompkins-Cortland Community College (TC3) Global, an international scholarship program designed to bring less-fortunate high-achieving students from developing nations to US colleges for all-expenses-paid educations.

"Bringing the foreign students is an incredible source of primary content for them (the High School class)," Cortese said. "One junior observed that he would learn a tremendous amount from discussing the day with some of the foreign students -- probably more than he'll learn from the Soldiers themselves. Comparing the same day from very different perspectives will afford an irreplaceable set of lessons to both student groups."

The day-long visit with the New York Army National Guard will include familiarization of the students with Army equipment, vehicles and training methods. The group will learn about Soldiers' recent deployment to Afghanistan from its veterans, focusing on the counterinsurgency objectives of the mission, discussing the terrain, people and challenges of Afghanistan.

The students will pair with foreign exchange Tompkins-Cortland Community College students to share and learn about the different perspectives differing nations have about U.S. military operations and objectives.

The overall goal of the visit is to develop honest and candid exchanges among Soldiers, the Homer High School students and the foreign students to improve empathy and understanding, and decrease mistrust and uncertainty of one toward the others.

The Homer students will arrive at approximately 8:35 a.m. and the Tompkins-Cortland Community College students will arrive at approximately 9:45 a.m. Local area media are invited to join the group at 11 a.m. One TC3 mentor and two Homer teachers will chaperone the trip.

News media wishing to visit the group at the armory should contact Staff Sgt. Stanley Norton at the Ithaca Armory, 607-266-9135/8778 Office or 315-886-9421 Cellular.