Veterans Benefits

Military Immersion Training For Civilians

7 Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
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Arizona National Guard to host Military Immersion Training for civilians

PHOENIX, Jan. 25, 2011 – The Arizona National Guard is hosting a
first-of-its-kind Military Immersion Training at Papago Park Military
Reservation, Feb. 9-10. The focus of this event is to increase knowledge and
understanding of the military culture, and to equip civilian providers and
media members with a sense of the needs of military and veteran families
throughout Arizona.

Developed and conducted in partnership by the Arizona National Guard,
Arizona Coalition for Military Families, COPE Community Services, Governor’s
Office for Children, Youth & Families, and TriWest Healthcare Alliance, this
event will allow civilians to experience military life and to interact with
service members, veterans and family members.

“This is a unique opportunity to strengthen Arizona’s capacity to
serve and support its military and veteran populations by offering civilian
providers first-hand experience in the military/veteran culture,” said Capt.
Holly Brauer, one of the event’s organizers.

Civilian healthcare, behavioral health, social service, community
partners, and media representatives are welcome to participate in this
program. Doing so will broaden and deepen their understanding of the
military
experience by living a slice of it, said Brauer.

Planned activities include: drill practice; military occupational
specialty briefings; firsthand perspectives of service members, veterans and
family members; team building activities; physical training (modifications
will be offered for all fitness levels); military meals; briefings on key
resources; hands-on sessions with military equipment and vehicles; overnight
stay in military barracks.

Registration fees include all meals, a night of lodging and all
materials. Interested persons should contact: Capt. Holly C. Brauer at
602-267-2115, holly.c.brauer@us.army.mil.

What:  Military Immersion Training

When:       Wednesday, Feb. 9 beginning at 12:00 p.m. through Thursday,
Feb. 10 at 4:00 p.m.

Who:        Healthcare, behavioral health, social service and community
partners (to include media)

Where:      Papago Park Military Reservation, 5636 E. McDowell Rd.,
Phoenix, Ariz. 85008-3495

Visual Opportunities:

. interviews with representatives of the National Guard and planning
partners prior to event

. training activities (drill practice, early morning physical
training, equipment interaction)

. interviews with volunteers and attendees

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NOTE TO MEDIA:
Directions to 5636 E. McDowell Rd, Phoenix: Take I-10 to SR 143 North. Exit
on SR 143 North. SR 143 ends on McDowell Road. Take a right onto McDowell
Rd.
Go to Bushmaster Blvd. Take a left at the light onto Papago Park Military
Reservation.
MEDIA WILL BE GUIDED TO RESERVE PARKING.
Media point of contact:
1LT Valentine C. Castillo at 602-267-2550 or 602-206-7659 /
valentine.c.castillo@us.army.mil.

Valentine C. Castillo
1LT, Judge Advocate
Public Affairs Officer
Arizona National Guard
PH:  602-267-2550
CELL:602-206-7659
FAX: 602-267-2495
http://www.facebook.com/AZNationalGuard
http://twitter.com/AZNationalGuard
http://www.azguard.gov/PublicAffairs/PublicAffairs.htm

7 thoughts on “Military Immersion Training For Civilians”

  1. Sounds like an interesting program. But nothing beats having a son in Iraq for three combat tours and never knowing if there would be a government sedan in your driveway with a couple of officers there to tell you that your son is dead. Or having your strong 27 yr old Army Sgt. son beat up by heavy combat, broken bones, cracked vertabrae from hauling mortors in and out of Blackhawks, hearing loss and the effects of an IED that went off extremely close to him.
    I think I will skip the Immersion Training…been there done that.

    God Bless all of the troops.

  2. Boy, I don’t know about this.  I suspect they are going to get some strange, sad folks coming out to this event. 

    On the one hand, the reality of war, the military and the people in the military are largely known only to the public these days through the distorted lens of media and an event such as this has some potential to educate people as to the reality vs. the popular misconception.  On the other hand, that same media (which largely serves the interests of those whose interests are served by conflict) mostly continues to glorify what is really a very ugly business that, at best and ideally, should rightly be considered under the category of “necessary evils”.  Finally,  I quote my friend fraser’s favorite philosopher, Leon Trotsky:  “Without lies, war would be impossible”.  

    1.  Guess what! I have been “banned” from the Three Sonorans blogsite for “overposting”. He will not accept my comments. Guess I did too good of a job of commenting. Shameful.
      For this comment Re: Leon Trotsky (lol) When Eisenhower as a general visited Moscow right after the Second World War he met with Stalin. Stalin was was quoted in Eisenhowers book as saying…” think if the USSR and the USA were allies, nobody in the world would dare make war”.
      Guess I will have to comment on other blogsites as I have been “banned”. See you there.

  3. Press release wasn’t necessarily intended for general consumption. Program is only for media and for military health care and social service contracted providers.

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