Training international students integral part of Keesler's mission

Published July 28, 2009
By Jonathan Hicks
81st Training Wing Public Affairs

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- The International Military Student Office is a vital part of Keesler's training mission. The dynamics of the IMSO program are as diverse as the students being trained.

The office is headed by James Cooks, a former Army electronics trainer who's been at Keesler since 1991. His staff consists of two full-time employees, one civilian and one military, as well as one stay-in-school employee.

Currently, the school hosts more than 70 students from 25 countries and trains more than 250 students annually. Occasionally, even special dignitaries are discreetly assigned for training among the students.

The process of acquiring a student for training begins after equipment is purchased by another country and a contractual stipulation requires specialized training be given for the particular asset acquired. Once this aspect of the program is completed, a request is sent from Air Force Security Assistance Training Program to the course training managers for a training slot. The potential student is then scheduled for training here at
Keesler, which lasts from two weeks to a year depending on the course.

Upon arrival, each student is greeted at the airport by an IMSO staff member. The IMSO office provides all administrative functions for the duration of the student's stay. The office handle everything from monitoring the student's course studies, payroll and ticket requests, to disciplinary actions similar to an orderly room.

In response to any language challenges, which are inevitable when accommodating so many different cultures, the Defense Language Institute provides an English language training course at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.

"However, not all students are required to take the course that teaches basic English skills and is completed prior to arriving here," Mr. Cooks said.

Beyond coursework, IMSO staff member Geneva Clark coordinates the congressionally-mandated Department of Defense Field Studies Program, which introduces the students to certain social, cultural and educational events that have specific objectives such as human rights, state and federal government overviews, and freedom of the press, among others. The program is designed to provide the students with a clearer understanding of the American way of life. Recently, students were treated to a trip to Pensacola, Fla., for the Navy Blue Angels Air Show. An upcoming trip is planned to Baton Rouge, La.

Community members and Keesler personnel may also volunteer to sponsor students through the American Members of International Goodwill to Others initiative, more commonly known as the AMIGO program. The purpose of the program is to make international students and their families feel welcome and to help them as they get settled at Keesler period. Another goal is to acquaint the students with American ways and customs.

For more information on the AMIGO program, call 377-2921, 4228, 0154 or 1999.

Training international students integral part of Keesler’s mission