Photo By Caroline Goins | Copies of books on the commander's reading list sit in the Marquat Memorial Learning...... read more read more
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FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Special-operations units around the world maintain dedicated physical fitness centers filled with weights and treadmills to help keep their Soldiers sharp and fit.
At Fort Bragg, N.C., the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School maintains its own facilities where special operators can go to exercise a different muscle: their brains.
The Marquat Memorial Learning Resource Center is made up of two mental fitness centers available to the entire Army special-operations forces; specifically the students and instructors assigned to SWCS.
Browsers won’t find any Danielle Steele or James Patterson in this library; just a full collection of curriculum and educational resources from foreign language materials to the commander’s reading list.
To aid language and regional education, there are more the 25 foreign newspapers and another 20 foreign periodicals available. Foreign films and audio books pre-recorded to MP3 files are a popular, relaxing way for students to study while giving their eyes a break from the books.
While perusing the shelves, patrons travel the world finding books on all subjects relevant to special operations. From “World Religion” to “The Imperial Frontier Tribe and State in Waziristan,” students don’t have to travel far to find what they need.
Supported by a full-time staff of dedicated civilians, the LRC includes its main center at Bank Hall and a medical branch at the Joint Special Operations Medical Training Center.
“Customer service is the best part of my job,” said Eva Davis, the LRC’s circulation manager.
“These Soldiers work so hard and have a rigorous schedule, so if I can get them as much information as I can, I feel good about that,” she said. “If there’s anything we can do for them we will.”
The Learning Resource Center is a curriculum-based learning environment offering 50,000 books, 119 journal articles, and many public access computers with more than 30 databases to assist students’ academic development.
Even following Soldiers’ initial Civil Affairs, Military Information Support Operations or Special Forces training, SWCS offers advanced courses in language, culture, human dynamics and adaptive thinking.
Additional resources such as international magazines, anatomy flashcards, and books on propaganda, military history and foreign cultures are helpful supplements for students as they progress through their qualification courses and specialty training, such as the medical training in the JSOMTC.
The LRC offers its services to more than SWCS students; it also reaches throughout USASOC as part of the command’s education and training matrix. Library resources are open to all Soldiers,whether for specialty training, or in support of college degree completion.
“Only about 1 percent of the military population is serving overseas, but them and their Families suffer the burdens of fighting and the separation of deployment, so I feel privileged to work with these fine servicemembers who are serving the country,” said Jane Crabill, a senior librarian at the LRC.
“I just want them to have all the resources they need to succeed in their courses here, and ultimately in their careers because no job is as important as the jobs these men and women do,” Davis said.
| Date Taken: | 03.25.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 03.28.2011 10:11 |
| Story ID: | 67858 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 204 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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