TOWER BARRACKS, Germany – As a part of a high school program designed to give students insight into different career fields, a student intern with the U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria Public Affairs Office had the opportunity to visit the Armed Forces Network Feb. 14, 2025 at Rose Barracks near Vilseck, Germany.
The year long Career Practicum course was partially reintroduced to Vilseck High School students in 2024 after it had to be put on hold due to COVID-19 restrictions; it was brought back fully this year with roughly 75 students from ninth through 12th grade attending.
It is part of the core curriculum and is designed to provide school-to-career experiences and training through a work practicum. Students, such as Jenna Saxton at the Public Affairs Office, work in different professions related to their career goal, and they prepare for future careers.
The interns learn in employment settings by applying their skills and aptitudes, solving problems, developing interpersonal communication skills, searching electronic information systems for career information, and much more.
At the Public Affairs Office, Saxton has already gained insight into garrison communication efforts.
“I chose to intern with the Public Affairs Office because I really enjoy being creative and have always been interested in design,” said Saxton. “It really matches my interests, and, in the future, I definitely want to have a creative job.”
While both AFN Bavaria and the USAG Bavaria PAO contribute to military communication, they serve different purposes.
The garrison PAO mainly focuses on command information, community relations and media engagement. In contrast, AFN Bavaria specializes in broadcasting, videography, photography and digital media production.
The station provides service members with entertainment and critical information through radio shows, television segments, and Blue Pages, which is essential for letting the community know about upcoming events.
"We want to give our interns as many opportunities as possible to learn about what public affairs is and what public affairs officers do here in Bavaria,” said Natalie Simmel, USAG Bavaria public affairs specialist. “So, it is really nice that we can reach out to AFN or 7th Army Training Command, where the students can see all the different ways and channels of communication that are available out there."
AFN Bavaria also hosts Career Practicum students, introducing them to the fundamentals of broadcasting, and welcomed the collaboration right away.
“Students come here to learn about radio and what AFN does,” said Sgt. Scyrrus Corregidor, public affairs mass communication specialist at AFN. “We teach them how to prep a radio show, select topics and use cameras for shooting and editing.”
Staff Sgt. Herbert Roberson, AFN Bavaria station manager, highlighted the importance of mentorship and fostering curiosity in young professionals.
“It’s important for young people to experience different aspects of work,” Roberson said. “We need to foster development and curiosity in our youth; otherwise, jobs will start going away and things will start getting monotonous. Youth brings excitement and new ideas, and a well-rounded individual should have knowledge in various areas that they find interesting. I think if you have a curiosity about something, it should be fostered and nurtured.”
Sgt. Kasimir Jackson, a broadcaster, believes that AFN offers some of the best career opportunities in the Army and that military broadcasting provides valuable experience.
“This is one of the few jobs in the military where you’re allowed to actually create, and your creativity isn’t stifled,” said Jackson. “You can definitely take everything that you learn in this career field into the civilian world.”
Saxton also thinks that the CP program is a great opportunity and can help her find a career path in the future.
“I think this program is a good way to introduce young adults to real work experience, including the AFN tour which showed all the possibilities you have,” said Saxton. “Seeing things in person and being shown all the equipment they use is a much more memorable and interesting experience than just being told about what they do. I've always wanted to have a creative career, and AFN has an amazing way of supporting my goals.”
Vilseck High school students interested in adding the CP program into their graduation plan can reach out to their school counselors for more information and to sign up for the next school year.
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