Brunswick Navy JROTC program visits Stewart

By Spc. Gaelen Lowers, 3rd Sustainment Bde. Public AffairsOctober 14, 2009

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<B> FORT STEWART, Ga. -</B> From sending volunteers to local elementary schools to serving lunch at local elderly homes, Fort Stewart strives to support the community that supports it. So when the Brunswick Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Course asked if they could tour the base, the 3rd Sustainment Brigade pulled out all the stops.

The Brunswick Navy JROTC program sponsors many different activities, including a rifle team and drill team. The program has also taken its students on six different college visits and military base tours, including the one to Fort Stewart, Oct. 7, said Senior Chief Mahendra Jatindranath, commander of the Brunswick high school JROTC program.

The trip, hosted by the 3rd Sustainment Bde., took the students around the base and let them learn about some of the jobs, work and training that occurs every day around Fort Stewart.

The students began at Marne Gardens where they learned the history of Rocky, the 3rd Infantry Division's mascot, and the history of Fort Stewart and of the 3rd ID itself. Next, Soldiers from the 233rd Transportation Company, 87th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Bde., answered questions and accompanied the students throughout the rest of their trip.

During the tour, the students trained on the Virtual Battlespace 2, where they played a first-person shooter in a virtual environment. They then moved over to the Close Combat Tactical Trainer, where they loaded up in Humvees and used the real-time, interactive system to traverse the streets of Baghdad and element enemy forces.

"This has been one of the best trips I've ever been on," said Emily Day. "When we went through the Humvee simulator, it felt so real. You could feel the kick of the rifle when it shot."

After eating at one of the many dining facilities on Fort Stewart, the students moved to Warriors Walk, a walkway dedicated to Soldiers and attached units of the 3rd ID, Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

The students had a great time during the trip and can't wait to come back again, said Abby Renke, freshmen at Brunswick high school.

"This has been my favorite trip so far," said Renke. "It's a lot of fun."

Senior Chief Jatindranath echoed his students' sentiments by saying that he appreciates all that Fort Stewart does for the community and hopes that he can bring his JROTC program back soon.