Wabash man tours bases in the Middle East, Africa Published Dec. 3, 2006 By Senior Airman Ben Mota 434th ARW Public Affairs GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind -- "The entire trip was so humbling for me. Spending time with the troops overseas made me recognize the quality of people who serve our country; it gave me a new perspective and a better appreciation for the troops who volunteer their services." Those were the words spoken as Hal Job, the Chairman and CEO of Frances Slocum Bank in Wabash, Ind, began describing his recent trip to a variety of countries in the Middle East and Africa with The Joint Civilian Orientation Conference. JCOC is a Secretary of Defense sponsored program for America's leaders interested in expanding their knowledge of the military and national defense. It is the oldest existing Pentagon outreach program and has been held more than 70 times since its creation in 1948. The program is financially self-supporting. All travelers pay for their meals, lodging, receptions and any other expenses incurred. Mr. Job was one of the 45 civic leaders chosen to attend the fall event for 2006. Each year over 400 nominees across the United States are solicited from military commands and military departments within the DOD. The bank CEO is a member of the Grissom Community Council and was told about JCOC from one of the officers at the base, he said. His involvement with numerous community, civic, and non-profit organizations made him a good candidate for the trip, he added. One of JCOC's main functions is to increase the publics understanding of national defense by giving civic leaders hands on experience of how the military operates. In return, civic leaders such as Mr. Job share their experiences with the community and people they are involved with. "This experience gave me the utmost respect for our military", said Mr. Job. "It was such an honor to see all the branches of the military working together to accomplish the same goal". The conference began at the Pentagon by with briefings by DOD representatives. After meeting with several top military officials, members of the 72nd JCOC began their trip over seas to obtain first hand knowledge of how the troops operate in a combat environment. Upon arrival at their overseas location, members were able to fire a variety of weapons that are used by the military, participate in convoy safety training and interact with troops from all branches of the military. Mr. Job and the others ate the same meals, performed the same training, wore the same protective gear, and lived in the same 100+ degree weather just as the rest of the military troops did. "Our schedule kept us busy the entire week of the trip" said Mr. Job. "A typical day might start at five in the morning and end at eleven at night, but I wouldn't have changed anything." Mr. Job said that the best part of the trip for him was interacting with the troops. He was amazed with the professionalism of the military and the respect that each member he came in contact with gave him. "You wouldn't believe the effect we had on the troops we came in contact with", said Mr. Job with a smile on his face as he described his experiences with troops in deployed locations. They were amazed that ordinary citizens would travel such a distance to experience what they were doing and to share the truth with the rest of the America, he said. Mr. Job said that he hopes to share his experiences with others. He has already begun to tell his story to the people he works with and hopes to share his experiences with anyone who will listen. One of his future goals is to speak at some of the local schools in his hometown of Wabash, Ind. so that a wider variety of people can hear his story. He added that it is important for everyone to know the sacrifices that troops make in order to ensure our freedom and safety.
