Photo By Senior Airman Aidan Thompson | U.S. Air Force Airmen from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. and Air Force ROTC...... read more read more
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SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO — The 32nd Air Refueling Squadron brought several Air Force specialty codes from around Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., to the Air Force ROTC detachment 755, San Juan, Puerto Rico, over Veterans Day weekend, Nov. 8th-11th, 2024. The trip is part of the Aviation Inspiration Mentorship program to help educate cadets about the operational side of the military and motivate them to join.
AIM was developed by Air Force Recruiting Services Detachment 1 to support outreach and engagement activities with a mission to inform, influence and inspire the next generation of aviators.
“Being from Puerto Rico and commissioning through the reserve officers training corps, our outreach effort started as an idea because opportunities like this don’t happen often in Puerto Rico,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Jadzia Cabrera, 32nd ARS KC-46A Pegasus aircraft pilot. “Capt. Staszak and I handpicked different career fields that support pilots and our mission in the air. It was important that the enlisted side get exposure as well because they are the backbone to help bring everything together.”
Through showcasing a variety of AFSCs across the enlisted and commissioned career fields, cadets were able to learn firsthand about different jobs the U.S. Air Force has to offer. The practical experience of the presenters allowed for an easy way to bridge any knowledge gaps the cadets might have.
“You could easily see the interest from not just the cadets but the young people that attended as well,” said Senior Airman Bryan Caban-Hernandez, 305th Operations Support Squadron intel analyst. “They may already have an idea of a job they are interested in, but they want to know what it actually does and how it’s done both on the enlisted and commissioned side.”
Several of the subject matter experts were originally from Puerto Rico and described their experience transitioning into the military.
“I make the joke all the time that we are all separated, but we all live the same life,” Caban-Hernandez said. “I think it makes it easier for the cadets to relate to us because we can be from the same town or region, and they feel comfortable to engage and ask questions.”
The outreach program gives cadets insight as to how the military works in a global space. Currently, the U.S. does not have any active duty military bases in Puerto Rico, making this a valuable opportunity for cadets to see how the mission is accomplished.
“Bringing the Air Force to the cadets is a great way for them to interact with service members while they are choosing a career path,” said U.S. Civil Air Patrol Col. Juan Rodriguez, Puerto Rico Wing commander. “It is through programs like this outreach that help to show cadets what the Air Force has to offer. We have a very diverse population and some of our cadets come from very depressed socio-economic backgrounds, this uniform acts as a great equalizer.”
Working toward future opportunities similar to this outreach takes a large amount of support from host installations and the supporting regions.
“I have a great amount of gratitude toward each and every individual that was part of the trip, from maintenance, public affairs, aircrew flight equipment, contingency response, flight surgeon, intel, civil engineers, absolutely everyone,” Cabrera said. “Huge thanks to all the pilots performing top notch work and of course, our commanders for allowing the opportunity to give back to my community. I am hoping this is a gateway that we could use toward training, along with having other bases bring their mission to the cadets.”
| Date Taken: | 11.15.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.15.2024 14:55 |
| Story ID: | 485434 |
| Location: | SAN JUAN, PR |
| Web Views: | 41 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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