DFW Civic Leaders gain altitude, understanding of Reserve mission

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Julie Briden-Garcia
  • 301st Fighter Wing
NAVAL AIR STATION JOINT RESERVE BASE FORT WORTH, Texas --  Taking 30 strangers on an intense 36-hour adventure is definitely a task. Now, make those strangers Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex civic leaders, and their adventure to experience the Air Force and Air Force Reserve mission in northern Florida, and you've got a major undertaking.

"I really had no idea what the Air Force Reserve' s role was," said Scott Turnage, North Richland Hills city councilman, "and now, I'm completely sold on the concept of what you all mean to our country and to our local community."

Leading this year's civic leader tour agenda was a KC-135 stratofortress tanker flight and their crew, hailing from Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind. They demonstrated to their passengers the importance of teamwork through a midair refueling mission with a couple of 457th Fighter Squadron's F-16s.

"Wow," said Darryl Haynes, Mansfield city councilman. "This once in a lifetime [refueling] experience will be remembered as one of the top, most important times of my life!"

The rest of the trip was a whirlwind tour continuing on at the 33rd Fighter Wing, Eglin AFB, Fort Walton Beach, to introduce the Total Force concept between the active duty and Reserve. One Eglin experience was an F-15 crew demonstrating their precise weapons loading maneuvers performed as if being inspector evaluated. The 919th Special Operations Squadron, Duke Field, also proved how valuable everyone's training is to achieve the mission with their C-130 static and briefing.

A short jump from there brought the tour to Patrick AFB, in Cocoa Beach, where the 920th Air Rescue Wing strutted their stuff. Heart-inspiring speeches from 920th pararescuemen described how they opened their hearts to Americans during various disasters throughout the world and showed why their mission isn't an easy one. This emotional trip then shifted to new heights.

The PJs then took on the elements to illustrate their abilities. The damp weather didn't deter their mission to execute their C-130 jump and retrieval capabilities. Afterwards the PJs swung by the dock in their rescue boat joining the group for a flurry of questions and answers.

"This part of the trip really touched me," said Tamara Dugan, Burton Hill Elementary School principal. "The rescue people are the true heroes who bring our brothers and sisters home safely."

This demonstration could only be topped off by an aerial tour of Cape Canaveral in a 920th RQW HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter. "This was the presentation that made me proud of my reservist employees," said one participant.

Finally, due to stormy weather in Fort Worth, the tanker' s extended landing attempts gave the attendees a renewed appreciation to the training, professionalism of these Air Force Reserve unrivaled wingmen.