Cadets from Detachments 465 (UNL) and 470 (UNO) had the opportunity to tour Offutt Air Force Base this month, led by TSgt Thornbury from the Public Affairs office at Offutt. He was very knowledgeable and shared a brief
history of Offutt while leading cadets to their visiting destinations. One fact the group found interesting was that Offutt was first an Army base called Fort Crook.
The first stop was at the original Strategic Air Command headquarters, where three personnel briefed cadets on their mission. Offutt holds many units, like the 557th Weather Wing and U.S. Strategic Command. Offutt is also home to numerous aircraft, such as the RC-135V/W Rivet Joint and the E-4B Nightwatch.
Next, cadets visited the Security Forces (SF) dog kennels. SF conveyed how crucial these military dogs are to the Air Force, tasked with various jobs like protecting the President and political leaders. As seen in the photo to the left, some cadets donned on protective gear to see how strong a K9’s bite is.
The final stop brought the group to a runway, where they met an aircraft maintenance officer. She explained her responsibilities and objectives while showing cadets the Rivet Joint up close. Additionally, she touched on military culture and how cohesion in a flight is important in the Air Force.
Even though Offutt is in Cadet Havlovic’s hometown, he thought it was cool to see the military men and women working up close. Every person seemed to love their job, and it was an amazing experience to go into the Command Post building where his dad used to work. This base visit gave firsthand exposure to military culture and daily operations to cadets, through Offutt personnel demonstrating their everyday lives in the Fighting Fifty-Fifth.
