By Staff Sgt. Brad Staggs, Camp Atterbury-Muscatatuck Public Affairs
The first Indiana State Bar Association Leadership Development Academy class spent two days at Muscatatuck Urban Training Complex in southern Indiana. Lawyers came to MUTC in order to learn about military leadership and the National Guard’s service to country and community April 12 through 13.
Muscatatuck was the fourth part of a five part series put together by the Indiana Bar Association for lawyers who had been bar members for 15 years or less. In past sessions, the lawyers have toured the statehouse, spoken with Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court Randy Shepard, and spoken with community and business leaders from around the state.
Indiana Supreme Court Justice Steve David, a retired U.S. Army Reserve lawyer, led the group during their visit. “We want to use the Leadership Development Academy to expose new lawyers to something they’ve never been exposed to,” David said. “The military is here to support the rule of law and so are lawyers. Leadership principles transfer from one to the other.”
During the two-day session, 25 lawyers were introduced to the way civilian organizations and the military learn to work together through Civilian Expeditionary Workforce training. The students were able to see leadership principals in action between two government agencies that, until three years ago, had never cross trained or learned from each other.
The participants took part in an Afghan dinner with the CEW students to get a feeling for the cultural training that is part of the CEW course.
During day two, the class received leadership instruction from Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger, the Adjutant General of the Indiana National Guard. Umbarger spoke on the role of the Indiana National Guard and the principles of leadership.
“Leadership isn’t just a word that we use, it’s an ideal that we live,” Umbarger told the Leadership class. “The Indiana National Guard leads the nation and we live leadership principles daily.”
The Academy was created to promote and encourage leadership and volunteerism at every level by the members of the Bar Association, according to Association President Erik Chickedantz.
“The community is better served by role models,” Chickedantz explained. “We want to help these young lawyers from all around the state be those role models. Coming to Muscatatuck is a unique and beneficial experience for each of these class members.”
Chickedantz went on to say that one of the class members has served two deployment tours in Afghanistan and Iraq and another is a Vietnam veteran. The other class members have no experience with the military and it was helpful to see how the Indiana National Guard worked.
“Muscatatuck has welcomed us with open arms,” said Chickedantz. “We are grateful that our students have been able to be here and can now speak about the training that goes into leadership.”
120412-A-066: Indiana Bar Association Leadership Development Academy student Gina Venturelli of Fort Wayne, Ind., is all smiles following her flight on a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter on April 12, at Muscatatuck Urban Training Complex in southern Indiana. (photo by David Bonnell)
120412-Z-Bonnell-153: Indiana Bar Association Leadership Development Academy students Josh Neal of Fort Wayne, Ind., and Richard Castelton of Merrillville, Ind., talk with role players during a traditional Afghan dinner April 12, at Muscatatuck Urban Training Complex in southern Indiana. (photo by David Bonnell)