JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - Twenty-five general and senior officers, representing 25 countries, arrived at Joint Base Lewis-McChord Feb. 15, as part of the U.S. Army War College’s International Fellows Program.

JBLM was the last stop of a three-state trip that included San Diego, California, and Honolulu, Hawaii. The entire trip was designed to show the officers how homeland security, civil defense agencies, academies and strategic-level operations are conducted around the United States, according to Col. Alpo Portelli, director of the International Fellows Program.

“The International Fellows Program is designed to train strategic military leaders of allied, friendly and partnered countries, and give them American experience in military and strategic thought,” Portelli said. “It also allows them to understand the makeup of how Americans think.”

A typical overcast, rainy Washington morning greeted the gentlemen as they were welcomed to the I Corps Headquarters by I Corps Chief of Staff, Brig. Gen. Eric Tremblay.

Tremblay gave a brief overview of I Corps, before Col. Christopher Burgess, I Corps chief of plans, and Col. Charles Hodges, I Corps training officer, provided the men with a more in-depth brief of how the Corps trains, supports and sustains its nine brigades, as well as other tenant units.

A portion of the brief focused on the Corps’ upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. Some of the officers were curious as to the mission and exact role I Corps will play in the NATO-led environment.

Tremblay explained the biggest role will be to provide support, because support for the people and the country of Afghanistan is how it will be able to combat insurgency.

“The key word is support— support the Afghan forces, the government and agencies. Support and understanding are [essential] for success,” Tremblay said.

With talk of the deployment, and of the seemingly non-stop deployment cycle Fort Lewis units have seen over the past nine years, Hodges discussed the training required of those deploying soldiers. The officers were able to get a first-hand look at some of the technology employed to train soldiers by using the convoy and individual firing simulators at the Battle Command Training Center.

“This technology may not be a new concept to some of the gentlemen here, but there are countries whose militaries don’t have the capabilities we do and this is the first time they are able to see and utilize this type of training,” Portelli said.

After a morning of briefs and tours, the gentlemen were able to discuss operations, planning and training with a number of I Corps staff officers over lunch. It provided a more personable opportunity for the men to interact with American military officers, and Portelli said he was happy at how engaged the group had been since arriving to JBLM.

“Their engagement level is high, which is great. They are always curious as to how things work at different levels and, I think, they are gaining a great amount of insight here,” said Portelli. “They have definitely gotten what they came here for.”

The International Fellowship Program at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pa., was developed to establish a mutual understanding and good working relationship between senior U.S. officers and senior officers of selected foreign countries. Each year, Casey extends an invitation to 50 foreign officers to attend the program for one year.

The goal, after that year is finished, is that the officers will leave with firsthand knowledge of the U.S. cultures and institutions through the studying and travel they have done.

“It is a good program,” said Col. Adam Joks, of Poland. “It’s very interesting…and [gives] us so much knowledge it’s [overwhelming], but good. Very good.”

Aside from JBLM, the officers will spend two days visiting the Seattle area, members of the U.S. Coast Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Boeing.