Cadets, airmen take part in Operation Air Force

Nineteen Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets shadowed 27th Special Operations Wing squadrons, learned defensive fighting tactics, practiced marksmanship and repaired the gymnasium of a local children’s center.

This three-week experience, from July 14th to August 2nd, provided the cadets a brief glimpse of how airmen execute today’s mission. The group was also the last of three to visit Cannon this year.

The cadets, from detachments at universities across the nation, took part in Operation Air Force, a Secretary of the Air Force level Professional Development Training program designed to expose future leaders to the operational Air Force.

Operation Air Force is one of many PDT programs offered to ROTC and Air Force Academy cadets throughout their undergraduate collegiate career. Cadets spend their time with young officers and enlisted members at bases worldwide and experience, first hand, what each airman does, said Lt. Col. Gary Carruthers, ROTC Detachment 158 Commander, University of South Florida and cadet supervisor for the third group of cadets at Cannon.

This specific PDT program is divided into two subcategories: Operation Air Force Non-Commissioned Officer and Operation Air Force Lieutenant.

ROTC cadets who recently finished their freshman year of college, but haven’t yet “signed on the dotted line,” participate in Operation Air Force NCO, said Capt. Shaun Parker, 27th Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron.

Operation Air Force Lieutenant is for cadets entering their senior year in college and who already know their Air Force Specialty Code or specific career field. These cadets shadowed a company grade officer to learn what they do, said Captain Parker.

“The program gives the cadets a chance to see what is expected of Air Force officers, what our responsibilities are and how to deal with the challenges,” continued Captain Parker, “They experience what it is like to go to the meetings, discipline troops, the whole nine yards of what it takes to be a United States Air Force officer.”

Despite these differences, the cadets came together to perform several junior enlisted-level tasks while at Cannon.

“Our goal was to get them as much NCO perspective as possible, get out there, get their hands dirty and meet with the airmen,” said Captain Parker.

The cadets spent a day at the medical group and received CPR certification, learned small arms and defensive tactics with security forces, helped dig trenches and laid pipes with Civil Engineering.

In addition to learning how airmen execute the mission on a daily basis, the cadets took an active role in the local community during their time at Cannon. They spent an entire Saturday completing much-needed light construction work on the grounds of The New Mexico Baptist Children’s Home in Portales.

They repaired the roof of a gymnasium, performed yard maintenance across the campus and helped secure new panels on a storage facility.

“We are helping to put a positive face on the Air Force and definitely don’t kid when we say service before self,” said Cadet Robert Edwards, a sophomore at Virginia Tech University.