Photo By Rob Pennington | Local high school students learn about a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter during a career...... read more read more
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TULLAHOMA, Tenn. – More than 130 local high school juniors and seniors, from Coffee and Franklin counties, participated in a career day at Tullahoma’s Tennessee Army National Guard Armory on Wednesday, October 23.
Three groups of students from Coffee County Central High School, Franklin County High School, and Tullahoma High School, attended the event and spent the day learning about what the Tennessee National Guard does for the community and opportunities available to them following high school.
“This was a really great day that I was looking forward to,” said one of the students. “Learning about all the equipment, jobs, and getting to see and meet the actual people who fly the helicopter and drive the tank was awesome.”
Throughout the day, students and school faculty met with current Guardsmen, toured the facilities, and rotated through multiple stations to learn about the equipment and the many missions the National Guard can do.
Most students began the day touring military vehicles which included a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, known as a HIMARS. It is a wheeled system designed for launching rockets offensively and defensively. They also climbed through and learned about a Mine-resistant, ambush protected, All-Terrain Vehicle, referred to as an M-ATV, a well armored, multi-purpose vehicle utilized in different ways depending on the needs of the Soldiers. Students toured each vehicle and received an in-depth explanation of its function.
Next, they met with pilots and aircrew of a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, which many students watch land at a drop-zone training area and then were able to climb inside, sit in the cockpit, and learn about the aircraft and its capabilities. The pilots spoke on their experiences flying the Blackhawk and the aircrewmen showed the students about the engines and how the aircraft works.
Everyone who attended the career day also saw, explored, and learned about a myriad of other vehicles like an M997 Field Litter Ambulance and an M1070 tank-transporting tractor. The students were given tours of each vehicle and watched demonstrations by National Guardsmen.
At the final station, the students toured Tullahoma’s maintenance facility, where they saw where most of the weapons, vehicles, and equipment are maintained and repaired. Here, they were also able to climb abord an M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, an armored backhoe, and a Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck or HEMTT wrecker.
“Being able to talk to these high school students and their faculty about the career opportunities available in the Army Guard, and what benefits the Guard brings to their community, is a privilege,” said Staff Sgt. Erik Brown, the event organizer. “We hope that each of these students left today knowing a little more about what we do and how we support our communities, state, and nation.”
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| Date Taken: | 10.24.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.29.2024 11:38 |
| Story ID: | 483851 |
| Location: | TULLAHOMA, TENNESSEE, US |
| Web Views: | 131 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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Tennessee
Army National Guard
