Students from leadership course tour Fort Hood

Sgt. Maria L. Kappell, 69th ADA Bde. Public Affairs
Thursday, July 19, 2012

Camp Coca-Cola students visited the post July 12, sponsored by 69th Air Defense Artillery, in order to get a closer look at what military life can be like.

Camp Coca-Cola is part of the C5 Youth Program, which encourages youths to be character-driven, community-focused, challenge-ready, college-bound and committed to a better future. The camp’s focus is to prepare the students to be successful examples and leaders in all they do.

“Many of the kids come from low resource communities, and the C5 Youth Program allows the students to advance and take advantage of what’s out there,” Stephanie Taylor, the assistant director of the C5 Youth Program, said.

The Camp Coca-Cola tour began with a visit to the Horse Cavalry Detachment of the 1st Cavalry Division. There, they were able to get up close and personal with the horses that symbolize the unit and learn about 1st Cav.’s history. The camp attendees were shown the Horse Cavalry Detachment’s stable where they make their own saddles and boots.

After the tour of the Horse Cavalry Detachment, the students enjoyed a soul food lunch with Brig. Gen. Dean Milner, III Corps and Fort Hood deputy commanding general (Canada), at the 69th ADA’s own Patriot Inn Dining Facility.

“This tour is good because it gives the students a chance to see a little about what Soldiers do,” Milner said. He went on to describe how the C5 Youth Program and the Army both work to produce great leaders.

“They are both competitive, encourage people to work hard and present challenges for people to overcome,” Milner added.

Next, the students were taken on a tour of the 1st Cavalry Division Museum where they learned about the various wars the 1st Cav. has fought in over the years. They also toured the outside of the museum where Spc. Kevin Chadick, a Soldier from the 115th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cav. Div., showed them vehicles that have been used throughout military history.

The tour ended with an exciting K-9 demonstration given by the dog handlers from the 89th Military Police Brigade. Sgt. Jason Volker, a K-9 handler with the 89th MP Bde., demonstrated the obedience, discipline and importance of both a police dog and an explosive-detecting dog.

While working to give back to the community and conquer challenges, the C5 Youth Program builds leaders, said Whitney Orjy, a counselor and former student of C5.

(Spc. Ange Desinor, 69th ADA Bde. Public Affairs, contributed to this story.)