First-term Airmen see mission up close

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Charles Rivezzo
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  As part of an initiative to expose junior Airmen to the operational mission at Travis, Airmen who recently complete First Term Airman Center training now have the opportunity to participate in a daylong experience to witness firsthand the direct result of their combined efforts.

For the first time in nearly two years, more than a dozen FTAC Airmen received an incentive flight onboard a KC-10 Extender and toured multiple operations' facilities May 21.

According to Staff Sgt. Jonathan Gammill, a former FTAC instructor, the purpose of the program is to give new Airmen coming to Travis an opportunity to see how we as an installation contribute to the Air Force's overall mission, as well as to help them appreciate their own individual role in ensuring that the mission happens.

"Joining the Air Force can be a huge tempo change for a lot of incoming Airmen and expectations for them are going to be high," he said. "Everyone deserves to know why they are working so hard. Letting them see the big picture, and the end result to all of their hard work can be very motivating for anyone coming into an organization that hasn't quite realized that they are important and that their actions make a difference."

Prior to take-off, the Airmen gathered for a pre-flight briefing in the 9th Air Refueling Squadron auditorium to hear an in-depth presentation of the training mission they were about to take part in.

Besides the excited chatter amongst each other, the most telling sign of the flight's impact was when Chief Master Sgt. Robert D. Johnson, 21st Airlift Squadron superintendent, posed a question to the group, "How many of you have flown on a KC-10, C-17 or C-5 before?" he asked

Only one Airman from the crowd raised a hand.

"Don't take this opportunity for granted," Johnson said to the group. "This is something you may never see again in your careers. Take this opportunity to ask questions, take pictures, learn about the operational mission and see how your specialty fits into the bigger picture."

Launching as part of a two-ship formation, the local training flight encompassed both aspects of the air refueling process - giving and taking gas - with different mobility aircraft.

"I'd never imagine I would get to see something like this before," said Airman 1st Class Christopher Earling, who serves as a medical technician with the 60th Inpatient Squadron. "It definitely gave me the chance to directly witness the mission we support. I'm glad we got to take part in this opportunity."

Gammill added that the FTAC Orientation Flight is scheduled to occur every two weeks as a joint endeavor between the 9th ARS and 6th Air Refueling Squadron.

"It was definitely a positive experience for everyone involved," Gammill said. "The FTAC students learned a lot about the Travis mission, as well as what it takes to get aircraft off the ground and keep them there, and members from each squadron involved got to share what makes their job great. Airmen teaching Airmen is a big part of what this was all about, and it was definitely a success."