This summer, a group of students from the AJROTC program had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., where they joined students from other schools at a summit on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and a Red Cross leadership summit. Robin Guthrie (12), Laasya Kalathur (11), Kelly Chiu (12), Libby Link (11) and Christopher Kirkland (12) were selected to attend because they were picked as the #1 JROTC team in the nation after campaigning to bring awareness to the topic of IHL related to space law and armed conflict. International Humanitarian Law, also called the law of war, is a set of rules that protect civilians and soldiers no longer fighting during wars, while limiting how wars are fought. While many people might never have known about IHL at all, the law affects the world in ways many do not think about. For the cadets, the summit made this fact apparent.
“Since I didn’t know anything before, I think I gained a lot of knowledge from the experience,” Kalathur said. “But I think there’s still a lot that I have to learn.”
After attending, cadets came out of the summit with a deeper understanding and appreciation for how these laws shape not only military actions but also humanitarian efforts around the world. This understanding was enhanced through guest speakers, researchers and others’ stories and perspectives. Outside of learning, the cadets had the opportunity to connect with other students from around the world.
“Hearing other people’s perspectives [on]… how IHL affects us, hearing that this might be different [to] the kid who came from Japan,” Guthrie said. “It might be different over there. The kid who came from Germany, it’s different over there. For people in the Bay Area, it might be different for them, and like for people in the Northeastern area of the U.S., it’s definitely different for them. So it’s just a lot.It was learning different perspectives and learning new little things that you don’t think about.”
The cadets went on a tour around DC, exploring historical landmarks that contributed to the city’s history. The experience was one to remember for those visiting the capital for the first time.
“We got to see the Lincoln Memorial, which is super cool,” Guthrie said. “And this is my first time in D.C., so I only have seen this stuff in pictures. [We got to see the] Lincoln Memorial, the Reflection Pool across from the Memorial, [and] we got to see the Washington Monument. We got to see the Vietnam War Memorial. We got to see the Korean War Memorial.”
Cadets also learned some valuable lessons that they were able to carry on in their daily lives. The summit encouraged them to think about their choices, the impact of their actions and the importance of doing what they can in their community.
“We learn about different leadership and citizenship [skills],” Kalathur said. “And I think, maybe not international humanitarian law [involved], but during the summit, we also got to use those skills, which I think made me a better leader in ROTC.”
IHL affects more than the military. It affects the professional world. In many careers, having a good understanding of IHL is crucial to making ethical decisions. Students could apply their new understanding of IHL and the skills they learned from the summit to a potential career.
“Before, I wanted to be a doctor, but after I moved to the Red Cross, it actually changed my whole perspective on everything [in the world],” Kalathur said.
