The 1st Infantry Division Equal Opportunity office trains K-State Army ROTC cadets

By Spc. Jason KempMarch 16, 2009

1st Infantry Division Equal Opportunity office trains K-State Army ROTC cadets
Master Sgt. Thomas Miskavish, the 1st Inf. Div. equal opportunity noncommissioned officer in charge, trains ROTC cadets at Kansas State University on sexual harassment prevention March 5. Miskavish said the training is important because the cadets ar... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT RILEY, Kan. - "In an educational based community like Manhattan, any education is received in a positive light. And with the relationship Fort Riley has with K-State it creates a tie between the academic community and the military community and I think it helps solve a lot of the issues we have had in the past of not understanding one another," said Maj. Walter Ehlers Jr., the Assistant Professor of Military Science at Kansas State University Reserve Officer Training Corps.

Fort Riley and Manhattan have been building upon their relationship for quite some time, and that relationship was built upon further when the 1st Infantry Division's equal opportunity office trained K-State ROTC cadets March 5.

Soldiers were invited to help educate future leaders on how to prevent sexual harassment in the work place.

"The reason we are here is because these are going to be the future leaders of the Army. We are giving them the training because one day these will be your company commanders that actually enforce the equal opportunity and sexual harassment policy that creates a great work environment and a good command climate where Soldiers can work," said Master Sgt. Thomas Miskavish, the 1st Inf. Div. equal opportunity noncommissioned officer in charge.

"It's really good for them (freshmen) to hear from active duty Soldiers and Soldiers from all different components of the service about what goes on, on military posts because these are future leaders and we are training them primarily in leadership and anytime we can get outside views in it just brings in a breath of fresh air," said Ehlers. "We are the first step in the education of a young officer. Fort Riley's support helps make this one of the best programs in the nation."

Michelle Bacon, ROTC freshman, said, "I think it benefits us a lot because we are going to be around a lot of different people and all different situations and it will definitely help with our career in the Army. As future leaders we need to know how to handle these (equal opportunity) situations."

"It is definitely something we need to learn how to deal with so we can be better officers, and that is what we are here for," said ROTC freshman Ryan Easterling.

The K-State ROTC program is helping bridge the gap between the civilian population and Fort Riley with diligent training of the military's future leaders.

"The people here embrace the military just like we embrace Manhattan," Miskavish said. "K-State has a very large ROTC program and there is a lot of student participation in the program; it's more accepted to embrace the military here in Manhattan because of that."