By Melissa Buckley, Fort Leonard Wood Public Affairs Office
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (August 10, 2023) — International military students from 42 countries are preparing to set up booths to share their cultures with the Fort Leonard Wood community.
At the 21st Know Your World event, hosted by the International Military Student Office from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 25 in Nutter Field House, Fort Leonard Wood’s international students will be sharing their cultural pride, music, informational displays and even food from their home countries.
“We are grateful for the opportunity for Fort Leonard Wood and the surrounding communities to learn more about our international military students and their countries,” said Julissa Craven, IMSO Field Studies Program manager, who noted two different passports — one for children, and one for adults — will be available to help guide participants through the displays. “This fun and exciting evening provides a chance to make new friends. This is an opportunity to take part in cultures other than one’s own and to enhance each person’s worldview in a significant way.”
1st Lt. T.A. Tahir is an engineer representative from the Nigerian Army. He arrived last month for the U.S. Army Engineer Basic Officer Leader Course.
Tahir said he has been in the Nigerian Army five years, and this is his first time in the United States.
He said he can’t believe the size of America’s individual states.
“One state in America is as big as one of our countries. Like, in Missouri, I travelled for hours, and I was still in Missouri. It feels crazy,” Tahir said.
He said he has already finished his display, and he can’t wait to share it with the rest of the Fort Leonard Wood community.
“I feel excited to showcase my nation,” Tahir said. “I wish some of you might like to visit me there one day.”
He said he is also hoping to meet new people and learn about other cultures at the event.
“I have only been here a few weeks, and I want to make more friends here,” Tahir said. “I am really looking forward to learning about other places. This is going to be a very good event.”
One display Tahir said he is looking forward to seeing is the one from Thailand.
1st Lt. Chotinun Jantasee, a construction supervisor for the Royal Thai Army is also here for EBOLC. He said, “if my name is hard to say, you can call me ‘Cho.’”
Like Tahir, this is Jantasee’s first time in America.
He is still working on his display for the event, but said he has some fun in store for his booth’s visitors.
“I plan to bring traditional food to let you guys try. I have a costume from Thailand, too,” Jantasee said.
According to Jantasee, Pad Thai noodles and Tom Yum Goong spicy soup are on his taste-testing menu.
“I think we will surprise you guys. It will be pretty cool,” he said. “I want you guys to know Thailand.”
Jantasee said he hopes to see many people at the event.
“You can learn about more than just Thailand. I am also looking forward to learning about other countries that I have barely heard of before,” Jantasee said.
For those who can’t wait for Aug. 25, students from India, Pakistan, Serbia and Slovenia will have their displays available for preview from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 17 in Thurman Hall. The next day, students from Argentina, Gambia, Nigeria and Taiwan will have their displays available for preview from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 18 in Bldg. 470.
“Each student has put a lot of effort into showcasing their culture and national pride through informational displays, personal testimony and food. We are very proud of our international students, and we are proud of our community for welcoming and embracing them,” Craven said.
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About Fort Leonard Wood
Fort Leonard Wood is a thriving and prosperous installation that has evolved from a small basic training post 80 years ago to a premier Army Center of Excellence that trains nearly 80,000 military and civilians each year.
Fort Leonard Wood is home to the U.S Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and three U.S. Army schools: the U.S. Army Engineer School; U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear School; and the U.S. Army Military Police School. In addition to training engineer, CBRN and military police specialties for the Army, Fort Leonard Wood also provides gender-integrated in-processing and Basic Combat Training for new Soldiers.
Fort Leonard Wood also hosts and trains with the largest Marine Corps Detachment and Air Force Squadron on any Army installation as well as a large Navy construction detachment.
More information about Fort Leonard Wood is at: https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/mission