Local high school students tour GFAFB

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Susan L. Davis
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  More than three dozen students from four local high schools visited here this week to learn about possible careers in the military.

During the visit, students toured the base fire station, the 319th Operations Support Squadron Radar Approach and Control Tower, and the 319th Reconnaissance Group Maintenance Squadron, where they learned about careers working with unmanned aerial vehicles, aeronautics and engineering.

Kelly Painter, Grand Forks AFB school liaison officer, explained that the tour was designed to coincide with National Job Shadow Month, an opportunity for high school students to get an up-close look at different careers in action, and how skills learned in school are put into action in the workplace.

"Here at Grand Forks Air Force Base, students in tenth through twelfth grades get two opportunities per year to participate in the job shadow program," said Painter. "A few of the agencies on base that support job shadow requests are the 319th Dental Squadron, 319th Civil Engineer Squadron, 319th Security Forces Squadron, 69th Reconnaissance Group and the 348th Reconnaissance Squadron. By combining classroom activities with job site observations, students can better understand the relevance and importance of their education."

Painter explained that students have a unique opportunity here to see UAV careers up-close.

"Having the UAVs here on base is integral for students who are thinking about a job in that field," she said. With the University of North Dakota having their four-year UAV degree and Northland Technical College having the only maintenance degree, students can see those careers in action right in their own backyard."

The Airmen who briefed emphasized the importance of the type of career exposure they offered the visiting students.

"I thought the tour went really well, and I hope the students enjoyed it too," said Senior Airman Anthony Delvecchio, 319th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter. "Most people don't get this kind of up-close look at what we do. I wish I had taken the opportunity to get this kind of career perspective when I was that age."

David Kammermeier, 15, a freshman at Larimore High School, said he enjoyed the tour and found it very informative.

"My dad is a retired master sergeant, and I've always been interested in pursuing a military career," he said. "The tour has given me a lot of perspective, and I've learned a lot during my time here."

Painter said she thought the event was very successful, and hoped the students enjoyed it as much as she did.

"For students, there is a certain 'mystery' that surrounds the base and what happens here," she said. "The school liaison office strives to finds ways throughout the year to tie the community and the base together. Overall, I feel the career fair was a huge success; we had excited students who left with smiles on their faces, and counselors requesting more visits from our personnel to their schools."