Day 1 – 2/11/18
Day 2 – 2/12/17
Submitted by Scribe, Kurt Schwarz, LaCyngne
We started our second day of the Conflict Management course at Zephyr Products. Randy Reinhardt President of Zephyr Products gave us a tour of the plant and told us about their unique labor force. Zephyr Products is utilizing 79 Inmate employees and training them and giving them the skills to succeed after there time is served. They have found that giving inmates a skill set and structure to succeed lowers their chance of reoffending as Zephyr employees have a 5 percent reoffending rate compared to the States rate of 33 percent and Federal rate of 66 percent. Randy expressed that their systems must be solidly in place as they are constantly onboarding and training new employees.
We then traveled to Lansing Correctional Facility. Brett Peterson Executive Assistant to the Warden greeted us and went over the new construction that is going to take place and the history of the facility. Lansing Correctional is the oldest and largest prison in the state. We then were taken into the prison and toured the Mental Health ward, Maximum security cells, and the Resource center where prisoners can participate in Mentor programs, obtain their GED, and participate in conflict management classes. Finally, we were taken to the Auditorium. Two prisoners presented to us what life was like in the prison and went over their dog program. This program pares inmates with rescue dogs. The prisoners then train and prepare the dogs for their new homes.
Next on our agenda was Steve Jack of the Leavenworth County Development Corporation. Steve went over the Tyson Chicken Plant proposal that was unsuccessful in Tonganoxie. The Tyson plant was going to bring in 320 million dollars of capital investment into a county that averages 22.4 million of new capital development. Steve then went into what he believed derailed the project. The project moved so quickly that they never had a chance to talk to the public. They never had a chance to get out in front of the public and talk about the facts and calm the public down. The effects of this are just starting to show up as other companies are hesitant to look at Leavenworth county due to this project failing.
Chris Parr of FreeState Electric Cooperative then spoke with us during lunch. Chris went over FreeStates business and went into depth about their contract with Fort Leavenworth.
We then moved to Fort Leavenworth and met Douglas Tystad who is a retired Colonel in the US Army and is now the CEO of the CGSC Foundation Inc. Fort Leavenworth has been in service since 1881 and is currently home to 2600 military personnel. We toured the Fort and then went and had a meeting where we went thru the officer career progressions with Colonel Jeff LaMoe. Fort Leavenworth isn’t only for US military as the Fort has had 8000 international graduates and of them, 27 have gone on to be head-of-state in their countries. We were also allowed to go into a classroom and see a war game that was being played.
After Dinner, we were all moved by Dr. Steve Davies a retired Superintendent of USD #430, Warden of Lansing State Prison, and Executive Director of the Koch Crime Commission. Dr. Davies spoke about how Everyone is born the same and then income separates us. He spoke about how kids need a chance and how we need to think outside the box to give underprivileged kids a hand up instead of turning our head.
The Classes Key Takeaways are:
Day 3 – 2/13/17
Submitted by Scribe, Laura Miller, Manhattan
“That government is the strongest of which every man feels himself apart.” -Thomas Jefferson
There’s nothing quite like getting up at 4:30 am on a Tuesday morning to catch a flight out to D.C., but there we were, sleepy-eyed, excited, and maybe even a little bit anxious to get started on our Washington D.C. leg of our week-long journey. For some of us, this would be our first time in Washington D.C. After parking our cars, riding a shuttle and shuffling through TSA, we secured ourselves a corner in the airport, settled in, and waited for our flight. To better prepare us, JJ Jones, Class X alum and orchestrator of our seminar, handed out to the group a BINGO card that listed questions for us to answer about the various people, places, and things that we would encounter while in Washington. Many of us eagerly got to work filling out our cards, with the promise of a prize for those who could answer the questions during our morning briefings.
“Airplane travel is nature’s way of making you look like your passport photo.” – Al Gore
Soon, we boarded the plane and took the skies. It was amazing to see the land change and the clouds form as we soared high. Before we knew it we had landed, loaded, and were off to the Phoenix Park Hotel where would call home for the week.
“Museums are like the quiet car of the world. It’s a place you can come to escape, where there’s authenticity, there’s uniqueness, there’s calm, there’s physicality.” -Thomas P. Campbell
Once we had settled in, it was time to find lunch. Making our way onto the busy streets of D.C. made me realize how much I appreciate the quieter, more courteous attitudes of my Kansas drivers. There were so many people and so much noise with cars and sirens everywhere! Nevertheless, lunch was secured and then it was off to explore a museum or two. Several members took in the newly opened National Museum of African American History and found evidence of Kansas’ contribution to Black History.
That evening, we headed out to the American Farm Bureau Federation where we met up with the North Carolina delegation and joined them an evening of good food, good conversation, and good friends. We even got a warm welcome from American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall. We each went around and introduced our new friend, highlighting their interests and connections to agriculture. The best part was realizing how similar our roles in agriculture were; it was as if we found our NC Counterpart.
“I hope to stand firm enough to not go backward, and yet not go forward fast enough to wreck the country’s cause.”-Abraham Lincoln
After saying farewell to new found friends, we made our way onto a tour bus for a night tour of the Washington D.C. monuments. Our tour guide, Bobby, kept us moving as we visited The Capitol, Jefferson Memorial, World War II memorial, White House, MLK Memorial, and the Lincoln Memorial. Even at night, there was much more of a connection and closeness to the leaders in which these monuments were made for. It was such a humbling and awesome experience.
By the end of the day, we had put in a solid 16 hours and it was time to hit the hay, knowing full well that this was only the beginning. And as such, my time as scribe came to an end. Thank for you reading and letting me share our experience!
Day 4 – 2/14/18
Submitted by Scribe, Jared Petersillie, LaCrosse
Our day started with a Capital Tour, with staff from Senator Robert’s office. After making our usual security interlude, we were able to see the sights of the capital complete with shuttle rides from Senate offices to the capital.
The first meeting was with Senator Roberts. We were able to ask questions and discuss issues with Darren Hurries from Salina and Anthony Seiler. The most pressing issue at hand was the farm bill as Sen. Roberts is the Ag Committee Chair. With eleven titles including SNAP, Ag Business, Rural Development and Rural Broadband, the Farm Bill is very far-reaching. We were able to discuss Immigration, ARC/PLC as well as RMA vs. NASS data, Electronic Logs on trucks, and possible amendments to the recently passed tax bill that gave coops a marked advantage over other business forms.
His goal is to hold crop insurance harmless, avoid extensions, but expand trade, stability, and predictability. Sen. Roberts has had a hand in 7 Ag bills in his tenure.
Following lunch at the capital, we met with Senator Moran. Our questions and topic discussions were much the same. We met with Judd Gardiner and Jordan Ebert (Kinsley native). Sen. Moran maintains 5-6 offices across the state with 15-18 staffers and another 18-21 staff members in D.C. His main interests in D.C. are Veteran’s affairs (health care), community banking, WOTUS, and NAFTA. We also discussed the mental health of KS farmers, the Hunger Caucasus, the need for truck drivers, and reaching other states’ non-Ag legislators. We also discovered the history of his staff. Our newly named lieutenant governor is Tracy Mann who originally was on Sen. Moran’s staff. We also learned that Sen. Moran has first-hand knowledge of the KARL program as his wife has served on the Exec. Board.
From here our group broke up to meet with their respective Representative. Due to the size of the big 1st, many of us met with Rep. Marshall and was greeted by Dalton Henry from his staff. A number of us have known Dalton and Rep. Marshall for many years. While the discussion was much the same, we focused on the number of skilled labor jobs that exist across the U.S. He also sees a need for Jr. Colleges and Vo-Techs to keep producing program graduates in teaching, computer science, and manufacturing. He highlighted the sheer number of Americans that quit looking for employment. He also focused on the GDP growth as well as the 5% small business gains. His view of NAFTA from the House side is more positive than we had heard from the Senate meetings. He is striving to keep Crop Insurance, Title 1, CRP spending, and Nutrition programs similar in this bill to the last. Rep. Marshall also gave us his views of Elect. Truck logs, SNAP benefits, and Rural Health Care. He has first-hand knowledge of the healthcare industry and talked about the need for transparency, innovation, and consumerization.
Being this was Ash Wednesday, most of our class took in a service at either the Basilica or the National Cathedral. Some class members evidently needed more ‘ash’ to cover shortcomings that others! In addition to evening activities, we also were invited to the North Carolina’s ‘Pig Pickin.’ A few class members took the challenge to meet with other states’ elected officials to heart and were very close to sitting up a meeting with Nancy Pelosi after an encounter with staff from her office, but were disappointed with her yet again.
Day 5 – 2/15/17
Submitted by Scribe Patrice Herrmann, Cherokee, Oklahoma
Started out the day executing our decision-making skills. Food selection for dinner later in the day at the Kennedy Center.
We then took time for a brief recap of the day before where Senator Moran Jerry Moran all challenged us “what are you going to do when you go home”. Instead of coming to DC with problems, create solutions at home first. Being in DC has changed the view of politicians because we realize that they are also real people with real issues.
From the Hotel we headed out to the metro to travel to the USDA. For some class members, this was a new experience. We faced a few challenges along the way (losing JJ), but we all made it to USDA in one piece.
While at the USDA we enjoyed the opportunity of interacting with several USDA personnel.
From USDA the class split up for lunch and met back up at the Mexican Embassy.
This meeting was hosted by the Mexican Cultural Institute. This was one of my favorite buildings. Our presenters Luis and Brenda went into detail the importance of Agriculture trade between Mexico and the US. They presented us with solid numbers to highlight this important and bring into reality.
Some quick highlights:
Next, the class headed back to the Phoenix Hotel to prepare for a fun evening at the Kennedy Center. Our evening at the Kennedy Center was kicked off with a tour of the Center. From there we enjoyed a delicious relaxing dinner. We ended the evening the “Shear Madness” show. This was a hilarious show enjoyed by all. Great way to end the evening.
Day 6 – 2/16/17
The day was vast with many opportunities. To read more about specific visits click here!
Day 7 – 2/17/17
Submitted by Scribe, Simone Elder, Leoti
Robert E. Lee and Mary Anna Randolph Custis Lee Reenactors
Robert E. Lee believed he was fighting for the rights of the states. The Confederate Army had fought 123 battles in Virginia/the south before July 1, 2863. There had been no Civil War battles fought in the north until Gettysburg.
Mrs. Lee was the great-granddaughter of Martha Washington. Her father was raised by George Washington.
Leadership Lessons:
~Never allow the fear of failure keeps you from doing something.
~Treat all people in a simple courteous manner.
~Never use dishonestly.
~Treat all people the same to their face as you do behind their back.
~Do your duty in all things. Respect. No regrets.
Battle of Gettysburg and The Civil War Key Facts/Trivia
~The Civil War is also known as the War of the Rebellion.
~The Union Army named battles after rivers, The Confederate Army named them after the nearest town. The Battle of Gettysburg was one of the few that both sides shared a name.
~Between 1861-1865, 620,000 soldiers died. There was 0% population growth for 6-7 years after the Civil War. Only 7% of the soldiers in the Civil War were farmers. Lincoln wanted the farmers to feed the troops, not fight.
~The Battle of Gettysburg took place July 1-3, 1863 between Seminary and Cemetery Ridge.
~Day 1: Union Army gets pushed back to Cemetery Ridge (tactical victory: Confederate, strategic victory: Union)
~Day 2: Battle of Little Round Top (tactical victory: Confederate, strategic victory: Union)
~Day 3: Pickett’s Charge
~51,000 soldiers died in the Battle of Gettysburg.
~70,000 Confederate troops and 97,000 Union troops fought in the battle.
~General Robert E. Lee’s troops were advancing to Harrisburg along the Blue Ridge Mountains. Gettysburg was an “accidental battle.” Prior to Gettysburg, Lee’s battle record was 8-0-1. After the loss at Gettysburg, Lee didn’t win another major battle during the Civil War.
~Key players for the Union Army: General John Buford (came up with the plan to protect the high ground), General John Fulton Reynolds, General Abner Doubleday (took over when Reynolds died on July 2), Lt. Colonel Joshua Chamberlain (fought against Hood with bayonet’s at Little Round Top), Major General George Meade, General Governour Warren (“Savior of Little Round Top”)
~Key players for the Confederate Army: General Robert E. Lee, General Richard Ewell (led first day’s battle), General John Bell Hood (led the attack against Union at Little Round Top), General ~James Longstreet, Major General George Pickett
~569 tons of lead were exchanged in the Battle of Gettysburg
~The Civil War ended April 9, 1865.
Leadership Lessons
~Stick to purpose: Lee ordered the Confederate troops to not destroy buildings or harm civilians.
~Communication is key: John Buford (Union) sent word immediately to John Reynolds about his plan and that the Confederate Army was near.
~On the flip side, Lee’s order to Ewell to take the high ground on the opposite side of Gettysburg “if practicable” was not clear to Ewell and is a factor in the Confederate Army losing this battle. ~Compliment subordinates: When Reynolds arrived in Gettysburg, he complimented Buford “Lovely battlegrounds. Lovely plan.”
~Be strategic and plan ahead: Buford set up the Union line west of Seminary Ridge in order to fall back to the highest point of Cemetery Ridge.
~Be humble: The Confederate Army thought very highly of themselves and believed they couldn’t be beaten.
Eisenhower Farm
~Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower lived in 40 places during their 35+ years of marriage. The farm was their only home.
~They purchased 189 acres plus dairy cattle and chickens in 1950 just outside of Gettysburg. The purchase price then was $44,000. Today it would be nearly $450,000.
~They sold the dairy cattle and chickens and purchased black Angus. He operated a successful cattle business for 15 years.
~Shortly after purchasing this property to retire to, Eisenhower was asked to be the Supreme Commander of NATO in Europe.
~In 1952, Eisenhower won the election as 34th president of the U.S. and was president through the end of 1960.
~During his presidency, the Eisenhowers used the farm as a weekend retreat. Additionally, in November 1955, the farmhouse became a temporary White House while President Eisenhower recuperated from a heart attack.
~He also invited dignitaries and visitors from Camp David to tour the farm. *Eisenhower renamed Camp David after his grandson changing it from the former name “Shangri-la”.
~The Eisenhowers gifted the farm to the U.S. Government in 1967.
~President Eisenhower passed away March 28, 1969. Mamie Eisenhower passed away November 1, 1979.
You must be logged in to post a comment.