Academy cadets visit McConnell

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Krystal Jimenez
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  Seventeen cadets from Squadron 22 at the U.S. Air Force Academy visited McConnell Air Force Base April 2-5, during a sponsor base tour.

The 22nd Air Refueling Wing is the sponsor base of cadet squadron 22, this allows the cadets to lean on Team McConnell for mentorship and development.

During the tour, cadets sat in on a pre-flight brief, used the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft simulator and the KC-135 Boom Operator Weapons System simulator and received an intelligence brief from the 184th Intelligence Wing.

"We were very fortunate that our sponsor base, McConnell AFB, is so close and we were able to make the trip out," said MSgt. Michael Thomas, academy military trainer. "These cadets were able to get some real Air Force experience."

The cadets also witnessed a military working dog demonstration, a company grade officers meeting and had an opportunity to speak with CGOs at an Air Force specialty code career fair.

"The career fair was probably my favorite thing about the entire trip," said Veronica Morthorpe, a junior at the Academy. "Cadets almost never get the opportunity to ask, face-to-face, what exactly each career field does. I know I want to be a pilot, but I knew very little about logistics, the medical field, legal, etc.

Morthorpe said the 15 minutes spent at the AFSC career fair "helped immensely" in forming her decisions for her AFSC dream sheet which will be submitted later this year.

"Talking to real people in these jobs has given me such a better understanding of the entire Air Force," said Morthorpe.

McConnell personnel involved put in a lot of effort to ensure things ran smoothly for the cadets and they were able to make the most out of their short visit.

"I had as much fun as the cadets and that was only accomplished with the dedication of the folks around the base, and off base, that volunteered to help coordinate events," said Maj. Timmothy Morris, 22nd Logistics Readiness Squadron operations officer.

At the end of their trip, the cadets left with more operational Air Force experience than they arrived with, and a better understanding of what they are getting into.

"I never felt at any point like the schedule had time-fillers or that anyone was unprepared," said Morthorpe. " We met a really motivated group of people base-wide. I think it's safe to say no one hates their job!"