By TPS • 2 June, 2019
A delegation of 40 Cadets from West Point Military Academy, the US Air Force Academy, and the Virginia Military Institute is in Israel for a 14-day tour of the country to get a close and intimate understanding of the Jewish state.
The soldiers from the US Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps landed in Israel on Thursday after a two-day tour of Poland, during which they learned about the Holocaust.
Each year, Our Soldiers Speak (OSS) hosts Cadets from in Israel for a Strategy and Defense (I-SAP) tour of the country, an initiative specifically created for individuals bound for careers as officers in the US Armed Forces.
This year’s delegation will meet policymakers to learn about security, strategy, international relations, law, politics, media, religion, and technology in Israel.
The group will be briefed by US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, IDF Maj.-Gen. Noam Tibon (res.), Ambassador Arthur Kroll, deputy director general of the Israeli Foreign Ministry; and Maj.-Gen. Gershon HaCohen (ret.), former commander of the IDF Staff and Command College.
The tour provides a unique, in-depth insight into the State of Israel that will accompany the participants throughout their military careers and beyond.
“This unparalleled experience enables American cadets to learn about hot-button issues and matters of utmost strategic importance in the Middle East firsthand,” said OSS founder and director Benjamin Anthony. “By forging bonds between the cadets and Israeli military officers, we are laying the groundwork for future understanding and productive interactions.”
