Kansas City Public Library leaders tour CGSC, Fort Leavenworth

On Nov. 13, Crosby Kemper, the executive director of the Kansas City Library, and Carrie Coogan, the library’s deputy director of public affairs, joined the CGSC Foundation for a walk and talk tour of CGSC and Fort Leavenworth.

The tour began with a drive by all the beautiful historic homes of Fort Leavenworth including the Rookery, which is the oldest continually habited home in Kansas. It was also the home of General MacArthur and his mother Pinky. As they viewed the homes, Foundation CEO Doug Tystad talked about our friendly (and not so friendly) ghosts that have been part of the lore of the fort for more than a 100 years. Next was a ride down to the river to see the remnants of the wagon wheels at the old Santa Fe Trail, as well as driving by the old disciplinary barracks and the Buffalo Soldier monument.

At the Lewis and Clark Center, home of the Command and General Staff College, Kemper and Coogan had their pictures taken in the General MacArthur Room, strolled by the Hall of Fame, and viewed the art and gift collection that the Army receives from international officers as well as U.S. officers who present a class gift each year.

After the morning tour Kemper and Coogan ate lunch at the Frontier Conference Center with several members of CGSC including Chief of Staff Jeff LaMoe, Director of the International Military Student Division Jim Fain, and Dr. Jim Willbanks, General of the Army George C. Marshall Chair of Military History and former Director of the Department of Military History. Kemper and Coogan have previously worked with Dr. Willbanks to schedule CGSC history professors to present lectures at the Kansas City Library.

The last stop on the day’s walk and talk was the Ike Skelton Combined Arms Research Library. The library is a comprehensive military research center that supports not only CGSC, but also the Fort Leavenworth community.

At the end of the tour Kemper mentioned that he had visited Fort Leavenworth several times, but that he always learned something new and interesting each time.

Contact Joan Cabell, the CGSC Foundation director of development, to schedule your own group’s “Walk and Talk” tour of CGSC and Fort Leavenworth and learn about the education of leaders for the nation. – joan@cgscf.org.