Boone Center Hosts Foreign Officers’ Visit

[caption id="attachment_2623" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="A group of foreign military officers pose in front of a UH-60 Blackhawk at Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, Ky., August 26. The officers visited from Ft. Knox where they are enrolled in the Maneuver Captain's Career Course, an international leadership course."] FRANKFORT, Ky. (September 2, 2010)—Military officers from twelve foreign countries toured Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, Ky., Aug. 26.  The officers are in Kentucky as part of the Maneuver Captain’s Career Course held at Ft. Knox. The visit began with a briefing from Brig. Gen. Lonnie Culver discussing the capabilities and overall mission of the National Guard.  A tour of BNGC was led by the State Partnership Program Coordinator, Air Force Maj. Matt Groves.  Stops at the Joint Operations Center and Army Aviation Support Facility gave the officers an up-close look at the annual operations of the Kentucky National Guard as well as some helicopters and their roles in supporting the Commonwealth of Kentucky.  Maj. Groves commented on the rare, yet beneficial occurrences of foreign visits. “Such a visit like this is a great opportunity to share different perspectives,” Groves said. Although many of the United States’ allies have similar military organization, there are still contrasts.  Both sides understand the importance of a mutual program to learn from each other.  Foreign officers expect a lot from their stay in the U.S. “We look forward to mixing the doctrine of Columbia with that of the United States at the company and battalion levels to share with and teach our own Soldiers,” said 1st Lt. Paulo Correa-Vargas from Columbia. The officers came to Ft. Knox from four continents, twelve countries including Brazil, Switzerland, Jordan, Senegal and Saudi Arabia.  The class is also made up of officers from the U.S. Army and Marine Corps.  The Maneuver Captain’s Career Course is a six month leadership instruction designed to prepare company grade officers for command and staff assignments in the company, battalion and brigade levels.   This current class graduates in November.