JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas -- Area school superintendents and administrators got to see a military working dog demonstration and watch a basic military training graduation during a tour of Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Jan. 23.
The group of 15 school leaders, including officials from the Texas Education Agency and the University Interscholastic League, participated in the tour at the invitation of JBSA leaders.
Starting off the group’s tour of JBSA-Lackland was a visit to the military working dog facility, located at JBSA-Lackland Annex. The group of school administrators got a guided tour of the facility and were treated to a military working dog demonstration conducted by Staff Sgt. Sean Tucker and Matthew Erfman, 802nd Security Forces Squadron military working dog handlers, and Tarzan, a military working dog.
Afterwards, the group viewed the Air Force basic military training graduation at the Pfingston Reception Center. The tour concluded with a luncheon at the home of Maj. Gen. John Wilcox II, Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center commander, and his wife, Marian.
Leslie Janaros, military spouse and wife of Col. Jason Janaros, 37th Training Wing commander at JBSA-Lackland, said the purpose of the tour is to build upon the partnership that exists between the military and local educators and to increase awareness for the JBSA Military Education Summit on April 8.
The objective of the summit, which will be held in cooperation with the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, is to bring awareness to and address educational issues and challenges faced by military school-age children and their families.
Janaros said she received positive feedback from the tour participants.
“They said that they really enjoyed the military working dog demonstration and then off course to be part of that coining (basic military training graduation) is always special,” Janaros said. “They can even see their contribution to that (graduation) because a lot of their students make a choice and some of them make that choice to raise their right hand and take that oath to protect our great nation.”
Anthony Jarrett, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction at the Northeast Independent School District in San Antonio, said he enjoyed viewing the military working dog demonstration.
“It was great watching the dogs out there and the training and the discipline, and just the care that’s being given to the facility as well as the animals,” Jarrett said.