375 AMW nominee selected to participate in JCOC 93 Published Nov. 18, 2022 By 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Nominated by the 375th Air Mobility Wing, Dr. Kelly Remijan, a professional development and curriculum specialist for the Illinois Math and Science Academy, was one of nearly 40 business, academic, and community leaders from across the U.S. selected to participate in the 93rd Joint Civilian Orientation Conference Oct. 23 to Oct. 29, 2022. Members of the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference, to include Dr. Kelly Remijan on the left, get a close look at JTAC gear at the 6th Combat Training Squadron during the program’s 93rd iteration tour at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Oct. 26, 2022. The mission of the 6 CTS is to train and educate joint fires integrators for today's and tomorrow's battlefield. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Makenna Gott) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res Established in 1948, JCOC is a Department of Defense program designed to educate civilian leaders about the U.S. armed forces. Selected participants visit several military bases throughout the week-long conference to get a behind-the-scenes view of military operations and to meet service members. The 93rd JCOC began at the Pentagon with an overview of the Department of Defense and remarks by Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III. Participants were then flown to Peterson Space Force Base and Schriever Space Force Base where they met with the 2nd Space Operations Squadron and the 527th Space Aggressor Squadron to learn about their missions. The immersive program then took them to Fort Carson to run through an obstacle course at the Mabry Mile, engage in a medical evacuation demonstration, and fly on a CH-47 Chinook. The third day brought them to Creech Air Force Base and Nellis Air Force Base to learn about the MQ-9 Reaper and the Joint Terminal Attack Controller career field. During the 93rd Joint Civilian Orientation Conference, Dr. Kelly Remijan, center, received a hands-on demonstration of Army combatives training at Fort Carson, Colorado, on Oct. 25. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Scyrrus Corregidor) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res On day four, the participants met with the Naval Special Warfare Group 1 and a Navy SEAL team. The U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Diego also provided the participants with a tour of the Joint Harbor Operations Center and a live search and rescue demonstration. JCOC 93 ended at the U.S. Marine Corps Recruiting Depot, San Diego and Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar with participants getting a brief look at Marine recruit training and attending a Recruit Training Battalion graduation. They also got to fly in a MV-22 Osprey and practice live-fire training with the Marines. “It was a life changing experience,” said Remijan. “I not only learned a lot about the military, but I also got to meet members from every branch of service. It was fascinating to hear their stories. I was very impressed by their professionalism, especially at the young age many of them are.” As a math and science educator, Remijan was particularly interested in seeing the wide diversity of applications of science, technology, math and engineering in the military. “It was eye opening to learn how integral the design of an aircraft is. The MQ-9 Reaper can be disassembled and loaded into a single container. The Chinook helicopter has two rotors that rotate in the opposite direction. A C-130 has four propellers with six blades each that provide additional thrust for heavy loads and helps the aircraft to land on non-paved runways. Aircraft design along with other equipment and technology in the military is all math and science. I am excited to share what I’ve learned with educators so they can pass along examples of how math and science are used in the real-world to their students.” Dr. Kelly Remijan learned the basics of rappelling at U.S. Marine Corps Recruiting Depot San Diego on Oct. 28 as part of the 93rd Joint Civilian Orientation Conference. She said that all the Marine Corps instructors helped her feel confident by telling her she was capable, like all servicemembers, of overcoming difficult challenges. (Courtesy photo by Dr. Kelly Remijan) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res Remijan plans to highlight curricular connections with educators across the state of Illinois and beyond as she has submitted a proposal to present “STEM & Our Military: Connections & Context to Teach Math Concepts” at a national math conference in Washington D.C. next year. Remijan, who has no prior military service, also got a sense of the bonding that happens among servicemembers. “Listening to these military men and women and seeing them do their jobs, you get to feel the connection they have with each other. You start to understand how working towards a common purpose and sharing the military experience, an experience that is often new for all of them, brings them together. The other JCOC participants and I got to feel a bit of that ourselves going through this program.” Dr. Remijan’s summary and pictures of her JCOC experience can be found at: https://digitalcommons.imsa.edu/pfs_pr/61/ JCOC is an annual program. Civic leaders who are interested in being nominated for next year’s conference can contact the 375th Public Affairs office at 618 256-4241 for more information.