This article on military history is presented in honor of African American History Month (February) and Women’s History Month (March). The purpose is to educate Iowans and others on the vast national historic value of the Fort Des Moines Museum and Education Center. The Fort Des Moines Provisional Army Officer Training School was a military base and training facility located in Des Moines and was established in 1901. The base is noteworthy as the location where African Americans were trained to be United States Army officers during World War l. Additionally, it is also where women first began training for service during World War ll, in 1942, as part of the Women’s Army Corps. A portion of the military base was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1974. The Fort Des Moines Museum and Education Center is located on this historic site. Matthew Harvey serves as the President of the Board for the Fort Des Moines Museum and Education Center. He is honored and humbled to serve with an extraordinary group of volunteers that have kept the museum operating in the face of many challenges. Matthew served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve, and at one time was assigned to a Fort Des Moines unit. He also completed a combat tour in Afghanistan that lasted over a year. During that tour, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Joint Meritorious Unit Award. He is committed to sharing the history of Fort Des Moines and what we all can learn from those who have served at this National Historic in the middle of the country where nothing was really going on. They ended up picking Fort Des Moines because it was far enough from Washington that people wouldn’t really know what was going on. Then some say that there was also concern about having the Black officers’ training close to the Capitol. Part 1: African American Men Making History by Gary Lawson Gary: What is the history behind the first Provisional Army Officer Training School that was provided to African American males? Matthew: Well...what happened... in response to the first...well...at the time...it was the great war...World War I as we know it now...and there was just a need for personnel. It became apparent that there was a great need for personnel. There had never been a question about African Americans participating in the military, but there had always been a question about African Americans participating as leaders... or officers...in the United States Army. It was decided, during World War l, that there would be a segregated division...a couple of them, actually...that would have Black officers as leaders. Well, to do that...there were not very many Black officers in the Army...so they decided to run the very first Officer Training Camp. When they decided to do it...the decision was made to do it at the Fort Des Moines. Other places that were under consideration had included Howard University and other historically Black locations on the East Coast, but it was decided that it would be So, Fort Des Moines was picked as the location for the first Black Officers’ Training School. They trained officers primarily for the infantry, but at the same time they also trained Medical Corps officers and Dental Corps officers to function in those segregated divisions to treat the soldiers. Gary: In what ways do you believe that history is relevant during 2021 and beyond? Matthew: What happened in 1917 is that African American men answered the call to serve the United States of America...their country...inspired by what was going on socially, which included segregation and Jim Crow. These kinds of things were going on, so these men came to Fort Des Moines...and many served overseas and came back to face the same social situation that had existed before they had left. Yet...before, during and after...they were always committed to a higher ideal based on service to their country, service to their community and service with each other in a way that is instructive for us today...being that anyone who is a part of any group within the United States can draw from the lessons of those who faced challenges...yet they made the commitment to serve their country and the larger community. Then after they served...they went back to their local communities and took that same attitude of service back into their local communities. An example would be Charles The URBAN EXPERIENCE | 2021 41
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