Pentagon—Today, the 95th Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC), the Department of Defense's oldest and most prestigious public outreach program, kicked off at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, and will run through Friday, June 29. This year, leaders from a wide range of industries will learn about national defense firsthand from Service members, including the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard, over a weeklong immersion.
"[Through JCOC], hundreds of civic and business leaders have gotten the chance to spend time with service members … to learn what our team does, why we do it, and how we do it," said Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III. "The U.S. military serves the American people. And that civilian-military bond is something we take very seriously so that we can better serve you, your communities, and the nation that we love."
JCOC aims to help Americans learn more about the military and its various mission and its capabilities. This year, JCOC 95 participants will visit bases across the Pacific Northwest and Southwest Regions of the United States. In addition to Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, JCOC 95 participants are slated to visit Vandenberg Space Force Base, Naval Base San Diego, U. S. Coast Guard Sector San Diego, Marine Corps Recruit Depot – San Diego, and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.
The competitive program, for which participants are nominated and selected for, demonstrates the strength and readiness of U.S. armed forces and helps attendees understand the challenges that service members encounter on and off the battlefield, and that their families face every day. JCOC 95 participants hail from throughout the United States across sectors, including industry, academia, entertainment, sports, and nonprofit.
Learn more about the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference at https://defense.gov/jcoc, on Twitter at @DoD_Outreach and @DeptofDefense, and by using the hashtags #JCOC95 and #KnowYourMil.