Way back in March my former academic advisor at West Point, LTC Gagnon—who happens to be a chair on the international programs committee—notified me of an upcoming trip to Turkey that lacked on Officer-in-Charge (OIC). The Turks had requested that an officer in the rank of Captain or below accompany the cadets at the OIC. West Point had some difficulty fulfilling this request due to the small number of Captains and Lieutenants on staff. Realizing my opportunity, I quickly sent the Cadet Advanced Training officer and e-mail stating my interest in the OIC position and availability during the two week period (29 July-9 August). Though it took a number of months and some wrangling at the academy, I was selected for the assignment and received my orders in June. I was to lead a group of five West Point cadets to Turkey, where they would participate in the “International Cadet Military Training, Fire, and Exercise Week” held at the Turkish Military Academy’s summer training area outside Izmir.
The initial planning phases went well as I established communication with the Turkish Academy and Embassy. Booking the group flights was much easier than I anticipated and flight we arranged (direct JFK to Istanbul) was fantastic. Coordinating with the cadets proved more difficult as many of them were dispersed at training areas around the US and abroad. The day prior to departure, I learned that one of my cadets did not have a passport, which I imagined would be a no-go for his travel eligibility. However, by leveraging our military connections and the fact that this trip was official government/military travel, we circumvented the issue by having NATO travel orders issued. In New York, JFK Airport was a mess. Travelers crammed the check-in counters and linking up with the five cadets proved to be a challenge in itself. We made it onto the jumbo jet with no a minute to spare, but most importantly we made it. Three movies and a nap later, we were touching down in Istanbul. The connection in Ataturk International Airport by comparison was placid. On the small commuter jet from Istanbul to Ankara, we watched crowded motorways transform into barren Anatolian Plateau pass beneath us. The golden domed mosques we spotted before landing were incredible.
Upon arrival in Ankara, we were met by a Major from the English faculty at the Turkish Military Academy (Kara Harp Okulu). We were then taken back to the Academy and given a short tour around. We ate at the cadet mess hall and had the first of many fine Turkish military meals, the heart of which seemed to be bread, potatoes, and vegetables. A sour yogurt-like drink, Ayran, which seemed to be a national specialty, was introduced to us, catching on with a few. Others chose to refrain.
The following day, July 31st, we got up early and began the first, of what would prove to be many, long bus rides. Leaving Ankara, we drove west to the coastal city of Izmir and just beyond to the summer training facility. The cadets stayed in the tent city comprising of three man tents arrayed by company. The officers (myself included) were treated with quite comfortable hotel rooms at the Officers Club in Izmir (45 minutes away from camp). I shared a room with a Hungarian Captain, who turned out to be a very nice fellow. Each morning we ordered a Turkish Coffee (small, but intense and delicious) before heading on the bus out to the training area.
The first day at the training area was spent touring the grounds, going for a swim in the Aegean, and competing in 10 km battle run and obstacle course (boots and uniform, carrying weapons, with an obstacle course at the end). The most difficult component was the 100 (38C) degree heat and ~90% humidity. These factors combined to make one hell of an event. I decided to run with my cadets (I was only two officers who chose to do so). Over the years, I’ve done a fair deal of training in the summer heat, but never before had I been so close to heat-stoke as after finishing the course in just over an hour. I recall opening my blouse and feeling the heat rush out (similar to opening an oven door).
The following day we had a full schedule with a homeland security demonstration, a high-crawl course (with live rounds shot overhead to boot), and capsized boat drills (ie how to flip and recover a capsized boat). On August 4th, we were treated to something very special, a military helicopter tour which picked us up from the LZ on the training area, circled a nearby island in the Aegean and brought us back. It was a fantastic trip and incredibly beautiful to see the water from above. That afternoon all the cadets were bused into Izmir and they had the opportunity to go around the city to check out the cultural sites, take pictures, and go shopping. Each delegation had at least one Turkish host cadet, which was great because they had some local knowledge and helped explain common things to us in the Turkish cultural context. We had “Iskandar Doner” (Alexander the Great Kebab), fresh squeezed orange juice, and Turkish delights. Each of us also picked up a number of souvenirs (including Turkish delights to bring home). That evening, back at the officers club, we had a large, delicious, traditional dinner accompanied by Raki (the national alcoholic beverage made of Anis—it tastes like licorice). I also tasted sheep’s intestine soup for the first time in my life and it was surprisingly good and hearty.
On the 5th of August, the cadets conducted mountaineering training and select cadets had the opportunity to fire the various Turkish light weapons systems (pistol, machine pistol, and rifle), many of which were of German design (Heckler and Koch) and Turkish manufacture. The following day, we explored the environs of Izmir to include Kusadasi (a port town), Ephesus (ancient ruins), and House of the Virgin Mary (a shrine). Personally, I found Ephesus to be the most spectacular. In its heyday during the 1st Century B.C., it was second largest city in existence (after Rome) and one of the eight wonders of the world. Yet, due to alluvial sediment deposits, the coast began to recede. The people gradually moved away, especially after the city was sacked numerous times. Today Ephesus, largely in ruins, but preserved as a UNESCO world heritage site, lies kilometers from the coast. To walk the marble streets and sit in the amphitheater (the largest in the Ancient world) truly gives one a sense of how grand this city once was. Chillingly, in my mind, more than anything else, Ephesus stands as a testament to the power of geography and changing earth systems. After returning to the camp we participated in a non-alcoholic coctail party and gift exchange. I scored a sweet Afghan hat and a little yurt (I’ll hang it on my Christmas tree). This was a great chance to talk to the cadets and officers from all the different delegations and break some cultural barriers.
The following day, 7 August, we began our last major bus trip from Izmir to Istanbul. I read for most of the trip, though I think most of the cadets were having a sleeping competition. After ten hours on the road and an hour long ferry ride we spotted the famous bridge spanning the Bosporus against the setting sun. We knew we had finally arrived in Istanbul. We stayed at the military high school on the Asian side of the city and in the morning took the bus over to Topkapi Palace, the residence of the Ottoman Sultans. The tile work, gold inlay, and monumental architecture were only surpassed by the collection of artifacts the palace contained. These included the robes of Mehmet the Conqueror, who defeated the armies of the Eastern Roman Empire to secure the city then known as Constantinople in 1453. Also among the collections were magnificent jewels (enormous diamonds and emeralds), ornate gold jewelry, and the sword of the prophet Muhammad. After being mesmerized in Topkapi, we headed over to Hagia Sophia, the most famous church/mosque in the world. Well over a thousand years old, the structure, artwork and architecture were all larger than life. In the dusty halls, with light filtering in through the stained glass above, you could sense the history and importance of hallowed site. Directly adjacent to Hagia Sophia is the impressively large Blue (Sultan Ahmed) Mosque, which we paid a visit to as well. It is the only mosque in Turkey with six minarets. Following the pair of holy sites, we decided to go underground and visit the cistern, were we discovered two disembodied medusa heads adorning pillars—quite a change from the angels and glowing tiles seen on the structures above!
We spent our last evening in Turkey hanging out by the Bosporus, enjoying some good food, and swapping reflections over a bottle of Raki. It had been a grand trip exposing us to much more than just Turkish culture, but also Hungarian, Afghan, Georgian, Egyptian, and the half dozen other participating countries. In the span of a few short days, I believe my cadets eyes had been opened to a huge, new part of the world. I know mine had.
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