Retired General and UW Alum Featured at National ROTC Project GO Meeting

Project GO (global officer), a nationwide program open to all qualified ROTC students, recently held its annual meeting at the University of Wyoming.

This was the first time that UW has hosted, and UW received great reviews, say local organizers Eric Nigh and Shawn Bunning, director and deputy director, respectively, of the Arabic and Middle East and North Africa Studies Program in UW’s School of Politics, Public Affairs and International Studies.

Co-hosts of the event were the Defense Language and National Security Education Office, and Institute of International Education.

Gen. Peter Schoomaker, a retired four-star U.S. Army general who served as the Army’s 35th chief of staff, delivered the Project GO keynote address. As he also is an alumnus of UW’s ROTC program, Schoomaker posed for photos with the Bronze Boot, the traveling trophy for the UW/Colorado State University football game, which is carried in an annual ceremony by ROTC cadets between Laramie and Fort Collins, Colo.

“The ROTC cadets were delighted by his presence,” Nigh and Bunning say.

In addition to the keynote address, several breakout sessions and panels were held over two days, attended by over 200 guests.

Since 2007, Project GO has provided about 6,500 students with opportunities to study culture and 19 languages, both domestically and abroad in 33 countries around the world.

Project GO offers fully funded opportunities in critical language education, overseas study and cross-cultural experience for qualified ROTC students nationwide. Through the program, future military officers develop linguistic and cross-cultural communication skills required for effective leadership for all services in the 21st century operational environment.

For more information on Project GO and opportunities, email Bunning at shawnb@uwyo.edu.