F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- Junior Reserve Officer Training Course programs are offered in many schools across the nation, but it’s not every day a group gets the opportunity to fly in a C-130 Hercules.
The Wyoming Air National Guard took to the skies from Cheyenne Regional Airport on June 9, 2022.
The WyANG coordinated two flights for over 90 students in Army and Air Force JROTC programs from Wyoming and Colorado high schools. The aim of this was to provide them with a military experience and to educate them on future career opportunities available in the Air Force.
For JROTC Cadet Vincent Findley, a high school sophomore, the chance to fly for the first time in his life was an exciting prospect.
“I joined JROTC for the fun of it and it gives you good opportunities,” said Finley, “You make a lot of friends, and there’s a lot of nice people you get to meet.”
Lt. Col. Bill Arrington, senior aerospace science instructor for the Air Force JROTC program at Mapleton School District in Thornton, Colorado, was with the cadets as they flew, and was excited to provide cadets with the opportunities to learn what the Air Force does day to day.
“We’ve been out here since nine this morning and this is important because its life changing and life altering for these young people,” said Arrington, “They’re getting experiences that they would never have anywhere else, plus they’re seeing various career fields and can talk to the Airmen and see what’s going on. That’s what makes it so great.”