This summer, Cadet Elena Burgwald attended a Capstone at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, after graduating from Field Training (FT) at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. A capstone is meant to enhance cadets' knowledge of the Air Force and allows cadets to see the work of different jobs around the Air Force. She stayed on base for four days with 13 other recent FT graduates, many of whom she had never met before. Each day, they toured different squadrons on base to get a better understanding of their missions and what a typical day looks like for them. Some of these squadrons included the 89th Aerial Port Squadron, 316th Security Forces Squadron, 1st Helicopter Squadron, 316th Logistics Readiness Squadron, and the 316th Medical Group. These tours opened her eyes to many of the career options in the Air Force.
Cadet Burgwald’s favorite tour was the 1st Helicopter Squadron, where they learned about their unique mission and used helicopter training simulations. There were several officers with Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSCs) that she had never considered pursuing, so she took the opportunity to ask them
questions about their day-to-day life and why they chose their respective paths. In addition to the tours, the group attended several panels hosted by officers and senior enlisted members. During these panels, they had the chance to ask a multitude of questions about anything related to active-duty life and their experiences in the Air Force. She found the senior NCO panel particularly interesting, as they provided an enlisted perspective on the Air Force that they hadn't heard much about. Additionally, she learned more about how they actively work with our joint partners, a topic that was frequently discussed during her time at FT. Their day on base typically ended at 1530, and they were encouraged to sightsee around the area. None of the cadets were from the DC area, so it was enjoyable to become more familiar with a location where they might be stationed soon.
Overall, she was very grateful to be selected to attend a Capstone, as it allowed her to become more comfortable in an operational environment, better understand what is expected of her as a 2nd Lt and become more exposed to various AFSCs. The experience also made her more excited and confident in her decision to join the U.S. Air Force.
