Educational Ambassador
By Senior Master Sgt. George Thompson, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
/ Published April 04, 2013
SOUTHWEST ASIA -- How often can you look in the mirror and factually say "I was the first person to ever do that!"
Capt. Carlos Bersabe, 386th Expeditionary Mission Support Group, Executive Officer, spoke at a host nation university Wednesday under a joint U.S. Embassy and 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs program called Embassy Speakers and thus became the first service member from the 386 AEW to lecture at a host nation university under the newly formed program.
This program allows enthusiastic public speakers the opportunity to address university level students on topics preselected by the universities and approved by the U.S. Embassy for up to one hour.
Capt. Bersabe was given the topic "liberalism as a political philosophical movement and how the movement found its way in the American political life, and where it stands today."
He summarized his thoughts and reflected on the day's historic event.
"I felt the students were very gracious, they participated very well, they were inquisitive and very intelligent," Bersabe said.
Bersabe is a Squadron Officer College instructor and curriculum writer at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. while not deployed, but Tuesday's classroom was unlike any he has ever instructed.
"The cross-cultural aspect was definitely at the forefront, but all in all I found the students to be very engaged like my students in America," he said.
The all-female classroom of more than 30 students not only took notes, but they also asked some challenging questions that Bersabe handled with poise.
"It's kind of amazing the State Department put that much trust and faith in me, that was also very humbling," he said.
Although Bersabe was the first service member to lecture under the program, the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing public affairs office already maintains a backlog of other volunteers willing to speak when the next call comes.
"The best part of today's adventure was being selected to be an educational ambassador to host nation students and being able engage with their different culture," he said. "I hope I was able to shed some light on what it means to be an American versus what they may see on T.V.