USCG TRAINING CENTER CAPE MAY HOSTS FOREIGN MILITARY CLASS
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
CAPE MAY, N.J. October 24, 2016– Coast Guard Training Center Cape May played host to a group of foreign military visitors, Monday, as part of the group’s tour of Coast Guard commands and facilities.
Twenty-seven countries were represented in the class, which is organized and sponsored by the International Division of the Resident Training Branch at Coast Guard Training Center Yorktown, Va.
The class is a 16-week immersion into the Coast Guard, but also offers opportunities to learn about and experience American culture and history.
“We take them to Philadelphia, to New York City, and Boston to learn about our culture and history ” said Lt. Cmdr. Michelle Schopp, a member of Training Center Yorktown’s International Division. "but we also take them to places like Gettysburg," she said.
In addition to these site visits, the class also visits 4 of the 5 service academies.
“It is always an honor to be able to meet with service members from other countries and show them how we conduct business here in Cape May,” said Capt. Owen Gibbons, commanding officer of Coast Guard Training Center Cape May. “It provides us the opportunity to showcase the genesis of our service’s professionalism and pride by exposing them to the training program that eighty-percent of our workforce has experienced.”
During their visit, the class had the opportunity to utilize the training center’s firefighting simulator and weapons simulator as well as spend time at the seamanship building where they learned about basic knot tying and ship navigation.
The group also had the opportunity to eat lunch at the recruit galley before departing for their next stop in New York City.