Delaware Air National Guard hosts career day Friday morning, May 2, 2008, for 150 local high school students

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NEW CASTLE, Delaware --  Delaware Air National Guard
Headquarters, 166th Airlift Wing
2600 Spruance Drive
New Castle, DE 19720-1615 

Contact: Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Matwey
Public Affairs Specialist, 166th Airlift Wing, Delaware Air National Guard
Cell 302-593-2126, or Office 302-323-3369
E-mail: Benjamin.Matwey@denewc.ang.af.mil
Release No. 2008-4-006, April 30, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW CASTLE - The Delaware Air National Guard hosts a career day Friday morning, May 2, 2008, for nearly 150 Delaware high school students from seven schools and all three of Delaware's counties.

Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 NOON, followed by lunch from Noon to 1:00 p.m.

A majority of the students are either members of their school's Air Force JROTC (Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps) unit or enrolled in the Delaware Military Academy's Navy JROTC unit.

News media are invited. There will be numerous video and still photography opportunities.

"This is basically an educational field trip for the students with some fun thrown in. We'll have experienced Airmen on hand to explain their real-world occupations, from their technical training to their service at home and abroad," said Master Sgt. Mike Davis, 166th Airlift Wing Recruiting Office Supervisor. "Many of the students are fairly knowledgeable about the military. Our facility is one of many that a lot of these students will visit in the Delaware region during their high school career to learn how the various service branches operate in the active duty, guard and reserve."

Airmen will rotate in three groups through three venues; one venue is a complete tour of a C-130 aircraft from the cargo area to the flight deck with aircrew guiding the students, a second venue are half-a-dozen displays of various equipment with subject matter experts on hand to explain the purpose of each, and a third venue is a briefing in base headquarters.

Besides the tours inside and outside the aircraft, shops setting up equipment include the engine shop, the life support shop with night vision goggle equipment and parachutes, security forces, and the base firehouse with various vehicles. There will be a portable rock-climbing wall on hand for students who wish to scale to new heights outside of the aircraft.

For lunch, the students will eat MREs - meals ready to eat. These are the same meals consumed by members of the US armed services when deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan when normal dining hall food is unavailable.

Schools attending, by county, with approximate number of students:

Sussex County:
Cape Henlopen H.S., 10 students
Sussex Tech H.S., 1 student

Kent County:
Dover H.S., 15-30 students (Air Force JROTC unit)
Caesar Rodney H.S., 46 students (Air Force JROTC unit)

New Castle County:
Delaware Military Academy, 42-44 students (Navy JROTC unit)
Delcastle Technical H.S., 30 students (aviation technology program)
Mount Pleasant H.S., 25 students

About the JROTC:

Data from the Air Force JROTC web site: http://www.afoats.af.mil/AFJROTC/index.asp

The mission of the Air Force Junior ROTC is to "Develop citizens of character dedicated to serving their nation and community." The objectives of JROTC are to educate and train high school cadets in citizenship, promote community service, instill responsibility, character, and self-discipline, and provide instruction in air and space fundamentals. The AFJROTC program is grounded in the Air Force core values of integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do. The curriculum emphasizes the Air Force heritage and traditions, the development of flight, applied flight sciences, military aerospace policies, and space exploration.

Curriculum opportunities include: Academic studies, character education, life skills education, leadership opportunities, team-building experiences, intramural competition, and field trips/training opportunities.

The AFJROTC program enrolls approximately 102,000 cadets, employs more than 1,700 instructors and operates units in 48 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Japan, Korea, and Guam. AFJROTC units are located within host high schools, public and private, and, by law, the program is limited to students in grades 9 - 12. AFJROTC instructors are employees of the host school.

The first Air Force JROTC programs were opened in 1966.

"(The) purpose of Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps [is] to instill in students in United States secondary educational institutions the value of citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment." (10 USC Sec 2031).

Air Force JROTC (AFJROTC) is a continuing success story. From a modest beginning of 20 units in 1966, AFJROTC has grown to 794 units throughout the world, with 102,000 cadets. The AFJROTC program positively influences our country by helping one student at a time. Comprised solely of active duty Air Force retirees, the AFJROTC instructor force is helping to form tomorrow's nation by educating proud and patriotic cadets--tomorrow's leaders.

Delaware has seven AFJROTC units: Dover H.S., Dover; Middletown H.S., Middletown; Polytech H.S., Woodside; Caesar Rodney H.S., Camden; Smyrna H.S., Smyrna; Glasgow H.S., Newark; William Penn H.S., New Castle.

The Delaware Air National Guard is a reserve component of the U.S. Air Force with 1,100 positions under Command of the Governor of Delaware, or the President of the United States when mobilized. The Delaware ANG has been serving Delaware and the United States of America since 1946.

This release is in the public domain, and any part may be used as written.

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