During her 10 years as director of Russian and East European studies at Kansas University, Maria Carlson organized dozens of events with military leaders at Fort Leavenworth.

KU faculty offered soldiers a perspective on world cultures. Fort Leavenworth officials explained military operations in other countries.

“It’s not like we’re training people to hold guns and fire them,” Carlson said. “We’re looking at larger issues of national policy. If the military is going to have input into issues of national policy, I want to have input into the military.”

Today, leaders from both institutions will sign KU’s first exchange agreement with a military installation.

Officials say they hope the pact will formalize person-to-person contacts already under way and add to joint programs.

“The war on terrorism has highlighted the nation’s need for leaders with a sound knowledge of the world and the capability to apply that knowledge,” KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway said. “Fort Leavenworth can teach its students tactics and strategies in the fight against terrorism. KU can teach them about the culture, faith and history of the people and the lands where terrorism originates.”

The exchange agreement is designed to allow leaders at Fort Leavenworth, the senior education institution for the U.S. Army, to access KU classes and resources. It will allow KU faculty, staff and students to have better access to instructors and resources at the fort.

Also, the two institutions will establish a committee to promote student and faculty exchanges, joint conferences and speaker series.

6News video: KU and Fort Leavenworth to exchange faculty

Maj. David Connolly, a spokesman for Fort Leavenworth, said the recent war has shown why it’s important for soldiers to have access to academic institutions.

“When our soldiers were deployed to Iraq, we did a poor job of preparing soldiers for what cultural sensitivities they would be dealing with,” Connolly said. “With your expertise at the university, we can help share that knowledge.”