Bridging the Gap

Sadly, today was our last day of MilJo. As we were driving back to Lawrence, it was hard to leave the post and drop everyone off at the airport. We said our goodbyes and exchanged contact information as the vans idled in the terminal roundabouts.

But, even though MilJo has ended, its effects never will.

And I know that it sounds cheesy to say that, but I know its true. Even now, as I'm beginning to outline my stories (about MilJo) for the week, I remember all the things I learned: military 101, the experiences of basic training, the history of Ft. Leavenworth, and so much more.

As we began our activities today, we got the chance to skype (for real, this time) with General Gary S. Patton, who--I found out--graduated from the KU J-School. So, it was nice to see that connection.

He talked to us about his experiences--good, bad, or indifferent--with the media. He said when he was in Afghanistan, the Afghan people had doubts about the effectiveness of their new military, and had an open house for the media. Gen. Patton said that was a situation where the public needed the media to help them better understand their new military. Otherwise, they--like the media reporters themselves--would have continued doubting the military's legitimacy.

Right afterward, we had a question-and-answer with Ft. Leavenworth's Brigadier General Sean MacFarland. He said that Army leaders have to set an example for non-commissioned officers and enlisted soldiers on how to deal with the media. He agreed with Generals Caldwell and Patton that the Army should be "transparent" with the media, because we (journalists) serve a great purpose in the dissemination of information.

We ate a catered lunch at the College right after Gen. MacFarland's talk. A few of the majors from the College came down, and we got the chance to chat with them--on or off the record. It was a good opportunity for one last social gathering before we all left the post.

At lunch, Professors Tom Volek and Barbara Barnett (our associate deans at the J-School) presented each of us with a certificate of completion for the Military-Journalist Experience.

We recognized and thanked all of those who helped us with the program. (And in the case any of them are reading this--Thank You!) And then, we all loaded back up into the vans and headed for KCI.

After dropping everyone off at the terminals and saying our goodbyes, Professor Volek, another journalist from the Lawrence, and I rode back to Lawrence. We discussed our experiences on MilJo and what the plans were for it next year--what could be improved, what was new this year, what our favorite part was, etc.

Overall, I have to say, it was truly an unforgettable experience. I can tell that I have grown--I have learned--and I have become a more well-rounded and understanding individual. After meeting people from all over the country and the world (no joke), I have a better understanding for the cultures both in and outside this country--especially the military culture.

From Wednesday night's Night Infiltration Course (NIC) experience

While the military and the media won't have the most stable relationship, I hope that it can improve. Through workshops and programs like this one, the media and the military can learn more about one another and help to bring down that wall that sometimes exists between us.

This last week was amazing, and I was kind of sad to come back to Lawrence, which is hard for me to admit. However, I will be editing video and photos from MilJo for the next week. So, the post will never be too far away, thanks to technology.

I will update my blog one last time after all my stories wrap up next Friday (hopefully). In the meantime, enjoy my flickr page and the rest of the blog posts! Let me know if you have any comments, questions, etc. I would love to hear them!