LEXINGTON, Va. June 29, 2023 — Cadets from Virginia Military Institute joined peers from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the Royal Military College Saint-Jean in Canada for a two-week Israel Strategy & Policy Tour (I-SAP) held June 2 through 17. The New York-based MirYam Institute initiated the two-week tour in partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense and each participating military academy.  The program's mission is to bring an awareness of the history and shared values between the U.S. and Israel to future officers. This is VMI’s second year in a row participating in the program. 

I-SAP is a unique program exclusive to the MirYam Institute tailored for future officers of the U.S. armed forces currently enrolled in U.S. military academies. This program targets cadets planning to commission into the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps, or those seeking careers within government intelligence.  

This year, the trip began with a two-day visit to Poland. “The Poland leg of the trip was new this year,” explained faculty advisor Corps Sgt. Maj. Tom Sowers. He continued, “The trip takes the delegates on a journey from ashes to new life.” They visited the Rapoport monument for a ceremony honoring the heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto, the POLIN Museum of History of Polish Jews, and the death camps at Majdanek and Auschwitz-Birkenau before departing for Tel-Aviv, where the Israel leg of the tour began. The itinerary in Israel lasted 12 days, crisscrossing the entire country.  I-SAP cadets heard briefs by elected officials, generals, ambassadors, media analysts, jurists, ministers, and more to learn more about Israel, its place among the nations, and its relationship with the United States.   

While in Israel, delegates attended various presentations and cultural activities, including tours by way of Jeep, bike, and hikes in the region. Cadets also applied what they learned during the trip to debate a policy issue.

Paul Murray ’24 described the trip as an experience of “immersive historical reliving [that] encourages a political awareness and knowledge.” He said, “The ability to discuss things openly despite the proximity to danger… really struck me” and challenged his “flawed understanding of a complex situation which requires the attention of future leaders like ourselves.”

Melina Bulger ’25 said, "By seeing every border and the battlefield sites, we were able to visualize what Israel’s gone through to maintain their statehood.”

Several cadets appreciated the ability to hear speakers from both the Israeli and Palestinian points of view, which gave them a better grasp of the whole conflict. They also agreed that the depictions of Israel in the news only included a slanted point of view, that of a region in constant war and turmoil, without sharing any success stories.  

Cadets said they gained insights into regional geopolitics, learned about the vibrant and diverse culture, explored historical and religious landmarks while dining on delicious cuisine, and made valuable connections with diplomats, policymakers, and locals.

“The relationships are next level, and you will never have more impactful conversations,” said Ella Flickinger ’24.  

During the tour, cadets visited several holy and religious sites.

William Lauerman ’25 said, “Religious sites helped me to understand the historical context and religious beliefs that are shaping Israel.”

Visiting places such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Temple Mount, the Room of The Last Supper, the Sea of Galilee, the Synagogue in Jerusalem, and more highlighted the significance of the nexus of religious beliefs in the region, and the impact of Jewish religion pre-existing their state. 

When asked about the differences in the trips from the first to second year, Sowers said that during his first trip, he was very interested to see all the holy sites he learned about through his faith tradition. But for the second year, he was able to focus a lot more on Israel as a nation and political ally. He also explained that cadets who participated in this trip were a nice representation of VMI’s three-legged stool, coming from the various military branches, having various ranks, majors, and some NCAA athletes.  

Before the trip, cadets had an assigned reading, “ISRAEL - A Concise History of a Nation Reborn,” and some videos and films to watch, such as “The Pianist,” “Schindler’s List,” and a clip from “Band of Brothers.”  Also, Col. David Gray, executive director of the Center for Leadership and Ethics, conducted a briefing as part of the preparation to review requirements and share important information regarding international travel. Cadets learned about this opportunity in a recruitment briefing, which is available in the spring semester. Cadets interested in this opportunity can contact Sowers or Gray for more information. Funding for the trip starting from JFK Airport comes from the Office of the Dean and the MirYam Institute.

Maj. Catherine M. Roy
Photos courtesy of Sgt. Maj. Tom Sowers
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VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE