Photo By Senior Airman Amber Anderson | U.S. Air Force Airmen from class 25-3, Lankford Enlisted Professional Military...... read more read more
Subscribe
MCGHEE TYSON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Tenn.—Students from class 25-3 at the Lankford Enlisted Professional Military Education Center dedicated approximately 150 hours of their free time to a community service project supporting children in crisis. Working in unused classrooms, the students transformed the space into blanket making stations—demonstrating initiative, compassion, and a deep commitment to service beyond the classroom.
As part of a community service project, 12 Airman Leadership School students and 12 Noncommissioned Officer Academy students volunteered their off-duty hours to support local children in crisis—those facing hospital stays, car accidents, foster care transitions, or other traumatic events—by crafting handmade tie blankets to bring them comfort in tough times.
Their efforts resulted in 61 handmade tie blankets, which will be donated to children in the local area who are facing hardship. The project not only brought together students from two different courses, but also highlighted their ability to lead, serve, and positively impact the community—one blanket at a time.
“Serving outside our units helps us reconnect with our purpose and reminds the community that we’re more than just uniforms—we’re their neighbors, too,” said Senior Airman Keegan Macfarlane, one of the student volunteers. “Projects like this let us give back in a meaningful way, and sometimes, it might even be our own families who benefit from that kindness.”
Thanks to generous donations of fabric from students, the team was able to create blankets destined for young hands in the community. The blankets were delivered throughout the East Tennessee area to children in need.
“Service is at the heart of what we do—it’s even in the word ‘sergeant,’ which means ‘one who serves,’ said Tech. Sgt. Liana Chythlook, an EPME instructor at the Lankford EPME Center, I.G. Brown Training and Education Center. “Watching our ALS students not only take the lead on a community project, but also inspire others to join in, shows they’re already embodying the leadership and initiative our Air Force needs.”
In the end, it wasn’t just fabric that brought them together—it was the desire to wrap the next generation in something warmer than fleece: care, comfort, and kindness.
The TEC comprises three divisions, the Chief Master Sergeant Paul H. Lankford Enlisted Professional Military Education Center, TEC-U, and the Mission Support Division, representing all components of regular Air Force, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve Command, and civil service members, who serve together to develop today’s Airmen for tomorrow’s fight.
| Date Taken: | 04.14.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.14.2025 13:16 |
| Story ID: | 495267 |
| Location: | LOUISVILLE, TENNESSEE, US |
| Web Views: | 27 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Blankets of Hope: EPME students craft blankets for children, by MSgt Regina Young, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
