Future Leaders receive glimpse of military life at the 'Great Place'

By Staff Sgt. Gregory Sanders, 85th Civil Affairs Brigade Public Affairs

FORT HOOD, Texas – The stands of the 1^st Cavalry Horse Detachment erupted in cheers as the jarring cannon sounded the beginning of a demonstration as well as an installation tour for approximately 60 Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Cadets from Seagoville High School Nov. 2.

Traveling nearly three hours from just outside of Dallas, members of the 9^th Battalion JROTC met with members of the 85^th Civil Affairs Brigade who sponsored the group during the tour that included visits to the 1^st Cavalry Division horse detachment, Cavalry Museum, as well as the 226^th Military Police Detachment K9 unit.

Lt. Col. (ret.) Keith Kelley, a 39-year Army veteran turned JROTC instructor, wanted to provide the cadets an opportunity to get a first-hand look at not only Army life, but military life in general.

“About 10 percent of cadets that come through the program will join the military,” said Kelley. “This trip gives the cadets an opportunity to see how the Army is.”

In addition to the demonstration of the horse detachment, the cadets got a chance to visit the K9 training facility where the staff demonstrated the service dog capabilities and obedience, to include reaction to an aggressor, played first by a handler, then a cadet.  Comical jeers emanated as the cadet ran, fully dressed in a protective bite suit, from a pursuing service dog.

The dog won.

Rounding out the tour, the group of cadets had the opportunity to stretch their legs to take in some of the 1^st Cavalry Museum exhibits, inside and out.  Museum staff helped answer any questions the students had, as well as describing the history of different pieces of equipment, such as the final Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle or MRAP to leave Iraq.

As the day came to a close and cadets reflected on the tour, many of them enjoyed the horses, vehicles and the K9 demonstration, but there was an overwhelming agreement as to the most surprising part of the tour; the food.  Expecting lunch to be ordinary and bland, many of the cadets said the food provided by the OIF memorial DFAC was surprisingly tasty and better than that of a school lunch.

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Members of the 1^st Cavalry Horse Detachment provide a riding and shooting demonstration for the Seagoville High School Junior Recruiting Officer Corps, as well as other audience members, Thursday, Nov. 3.  The 9^th Battalion JROTC was at Fort Hood for an installation tour to provide students a glimpse at military life.  (Photo by Staff Sgt. David House, 85^th Civil Affairs Brigade Public Affairs)

An armorer assigned to the 1^st Cavalry Horse Detachment describes the capabilities and uses of a cannon commonly used by cavalry forces to members of the Seagoville High School JROTC. (Photo by Staff Sgt. David House, 85^th Civil Affairs Brigade Public Affairs)

A Seagoville High School JROTC cadet runs from Lux, a military service dog, during a demonstration at the K9 unit training area here on post Nov. 2.  The JROTC cadets came to Fort Hood for a tour of the facilities and to get a glimpse of military life. (Photo by Staff Sgt. David House, 85^th Civil Affairs Brigade Public Affairs)

Lt. Col. (ret) Keith Kelley, a Seagoville High School JROTC instructor, assists 1^st Cavalry Museum staff with explaining some of the finer aspects of the tanks and vehicles during a tour Nov 2.  (Photo by Staff Sgt. David House, 85^th Civil Affairs Brigade Public Affairs)