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Big Brothers Big Sisters visit McConnell

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Carrie M. Peasinger
  • 931st Air Refueling Group
MCCONNELL AFB, Kan. --  Members of the 931st Air Refueling Group welcomed members of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Sedgwick County to McConnell Air Force Base on Saturday of the September unit training assembly, Sept. 8.

Five children who participate in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program received a welcome briefing from Col. Mark Larson, commander of the 931st Air Refueling Group. Following the briefing, the group had lunch with the commander at the Chisholm Trail dining facility and received a full tour of the facility, led by Staff Sgt. Faye Monahan, 931st food services craftsman.

Following lunch, Tech. Sgt. Clay Dotson, a refueling boom operator assigned to the 18th Air Refueling Squadron, and other aircrew members gave the group a tour of a KC-135 Stratotanker.

For most of the kids, it was the first time to be on an Air Force base or to see a military aircraft up close.
 
"It's awesome! I want to be in the Air Force some day," said Nick Brost, 12, who toured the aircraft with the group.

Seth McKellip, 12, agreed, "I like it. This is awesome!"

The group saw demonstrations from several other career fields and heard about their unique missions as well, including security forces, emergency management, aerospace medicine, as well as firefighters and pavement and equipment operators from civil engineering.

"This is a real treat to come here. This gives the children an opportunity to see and experience something they wouldn't have otherwise seen," said Diana Edmiston, a volunteer with Big League. Big League is the group within Big Brothers Big Sisters that organizes monthly match activities for the children and their "big" counterparts.

"The tour is part of the Human Resource Development Council program to get the word out about the Reserve mission and make the community and young people more aware of what we do.  Exposing the children to the various career fields lets them see the possibilities of different jobs, which can help impact their future," said Senior Master Sgt. Pamela Summers, 931st force development superintendent.

"Even if they don't pursue a career in the Air Force, jobs like these are also available for them as civilians. This event helps them to think about their future and the choices they make," said Summers.

"This is a positive event. This lets them see different opportunities and role models to aspire to," said Edmiston.

Summers said the HRDC hosts events like this one every year, however, this was their first year partnering with the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization.

According to the Big Brothers Big Sisters website, the mission of the organization is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.