Photo By Airman 1st Class Cynthia Yang | U.S. Air Force Col. Adria P. Zuccaro sits in a 20-Man Life Raft with Girl Scouts and...... read more read more
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MILWAUKEE, WI - 128th Air Refueling Wing partnered with the Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast for a Scout’s Weekend on base to help youth earn their specialized training badges and learn about the military installation, 128th Air Refueling Wing, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, April 15-16, 2023.
Over the weekend, 128 ARW service members and volunteers assisted Scouts of BSA and Girl Scouts with their aviation and cybersecurity basics badge, as well as gave scouts the opportunity to tour and explore the wing.
Scout Weekend Coordinator and 128 ARW Community Outreach Director, U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Ryan Lawrence oversaw the weekend’s events and ensured the success of inspiring and motivating youth while supporting the goals and missions of the 128 ARW.
“One of the big objectives for the 128th currently is to increase our outreach into the local community and let them see what we do here, and increase that visibility,” said Lawrence. “Getting to interact with youth and see them get excited about the different things that are done here is awesome, it's invaluable to me to build and instill that interest in what we do. It's a great opportunity for us to show that we're more than just a military unit.”
Throughout the weekend, Scouts and Girl Scouts were able to learn about the science and technology behind aviation, touch military-grade equipment, explore the base fire truck and KC-135 aircrafts, and fly with the Young Eagles Program under the Experimental Aircraft Association.
Girl Experience Manager of the GSWISE, Crystal Polak, prioritize the importance of helping Girl Scouts develop leadership qualities, build confidence, and learn valuable life skills.
“Girl Scouts love to make the world a better place, and we know that our girls want to make the world a better place,” said Polak. “So seeing how their interests and their passion can align to that in the real world and being able to be here on base to see what you all do everyday is incredible.”
With over 50 volunteers representing diverse career fields at the wing over the weekend, Scouts and Girl Scouts were able to experience the different jobs on base through interaction with pilots, aircrew flight equipment service members, firefighters, boom operators, and more.
“It's really nice as we plan events like this and reach out to members that there's general enthusiasm and people willing to come forth to help and assist in the planning, execution, and volunteering,” said Lawrence. “We're not finding ourselves having to try to get our members to volunteer and have them participate, that’s a credit to the type of people we have at the 128th, and the members and the community that we have developed.”
In its third year collaboration with the BSA and Girls Scouts of the United States of America, the 128 ARW continues to strengthen its bonds with the community.
“This is an incredible partnership that I would love to see continue to grow in the future,” said Polak. “We get tons of positive feedback post-event, and it’s an incredible bonding opportunity for some families to come experience this. Overall, it’s a very special day.”
| Date Taken: | 04.17.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 05.07.2023 16:48 |
| Story ID: | 443158 |
| Location: | WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 53 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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