ROTC cadets experience real Air Force

  • Published
  • By Capt. Dustin Hart
  • 347th Rescue Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga., --  Moody is getting a glimpse of the Air Force's future this summer as more than 100 Air Force Academy and ROTC cadets visit here as part of the Operation Air Force program.

The cadets are visiting the base in three separate groups. Currently, 40 ROTC cadets are here for the three-week program.

"This program lets the cadets actually experience the Air Force, which goes well beyond the briefings we are able to provide them at the (ROTC) detachment," said Col. Ernie Haendschke, Detachment 330 commander at University of Maryland and officer-in-charge of the cadets currently here. "It allows them to live and breathe Air Force and fills in a lot of the blanks the cadets may have about Air Force life."

The program serves three main objectives, Colonel Haendschke said. First, it gives the cadets a hands-on Air Force experience and lets them see the different Air Force career fields.

Since many of the cadets do not have service commitments yet, the program also motivates them to finish ROTC and commission into the Air Force. Finally, it provides cadets with a mentorship opportunity and allows them to see Air Force professionalism first hand from active-duty Airmen.

"We have the opportunity to directly impact whether these cadets decide to join the Air Force or not," said Maj. Andreas Wesemann, 347th Operations Support Squadron and Moody's coordinator for the program. "This will be the first time at a base for some of these cadets so we want to show them everything the Air Force can offer."

To increase the cadets' motivation to join the Air Force, the major said the base planned several engaging events, including a ride for each cadet in a 479th Flying Training Group T-38 Talon or T-6A Texan.

Having the 479th FTG assets available for the cadets' use is a unique opportunity Moody possesses, said Major Wesemann. Cadets participating at other nearby bases are also coming to Moody to take flights with the 479th FTG.

It is quite a challenge getting so many cadets on an aircraft in only a few days, but the 479th FTG has done a great job helping provide that opportunity, he said.

Following the orientation flights, the cadets then shadow Airmen in their work places to see how the different Air Force career fields operate.

"It helps us learn about the different career fields, which may not be important right now, but will help my decisions in the future," said Cadet Mike Adams, a psychology and physiology major at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania. "It is giving us a view of the different jobs we didn't have before."

The majority of the cadets are part of the "Rising Sophomore" program, which allows them to work hand-in-hand with base non-commissioned officers to get a view of enlisted life and see how the officer-enlisted relationship is developed.

"Working with the NCOs lets me see what its like to be enlisted in the Air Force," said Cadet Eric Braunegg, a business and technology major at Clarkson University in New York. "It also helps me see what the enlisted Airmen expect out of a young officer. There is a big difference between what we read out of a textbook and what is expected in actual life."

When entering the work stations, the cadets are expected to become involved, said Major Wesemann. Cadets in the past have done everything from pouring concrete to helping complete flightline aircraft maintenance.

In addition to the shadow portion, mandatory mentoring sessions with enlisted panels are also planned. These sessions help further the cadets' understanding of what is expected of them when they enter active-duty, said Major Wesemann.

Operation Air Force also features the "Rising Junior" program, which pairs cadets with company grade officers, and "Rising Senior" program, which allows the cadets to shadow Airmen in the actual career field they will be entering.

With three different opportunities to cross-flow information between the cadets and active-duty Airmen, the program is beneficial to all parties involved, said the major.

"This program gives us the opportunity to develop and groom the future leaders of the Air Force," he said. "This way, they are better prepared to enter the service, which makes for better officers."