From N. Christine Brookes, Ph.D

Editor's Note: I am so impressed by this group of young students and their leaders. Each year the Central Michigan (CMU) ROTC unit has a meaningful tour of a famous battle site, this year to Normandy and to the site of the Battle of the Bulge. Invited to accompany them was my daughter N. Christine Brookes, an Associate Dean at CMU and a professor of French. She served as the students' guide and translator on the week-long visit to France and Belgium. I have asked her to provide an article and some photos for our next issue. Following is the note and some photos she sent to her family and friends when she returned from this remarkable journey:

I'm at the end of a week I'll never forget.

I had the privilege of joining the CMU, Northwood, and Ferris State ROTC students, the CMU Museum Studies students, and one of our French students for an amazing trip.

We went to see the places of the D-Day invasion (beaches, fields, cliffs, towns), Mont-Saint-Michel, and then to Paris to talk about Vel d'Hiv and the Liberation.

I am humbled and in awe of the students' poise, curiosity, professionalism, and general awesomeness. We looked at the hard stuff of war and genocide all week long. I have had tears because of it all, and yet still the students' brilliance has helped me get back at it on days when I am not sure I can handle more of the hard stuff.

This has been the trip of a lifetime, and I am humbled to have been in the presence of such marvellous human beings all week long. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank the ROTC leadership, college colleagues, and every one of the students. Merci infiniment.

CMU College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences Central Michigan Army ROTC Ferris State University Army ROTC CMU Museum and Museum Studies Group