LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
Every week, family and friends of Airmen descend on Lackland by the thousands for basic military training graduation activities.
Coupled with being the home of Air Force Basic Military Training and the "Gateway to the Air Force," an expanded variety of missions have increased the public's interest to visit Lackland. Local schools, junior ROTC and ROTC units make regular requests for group tours of the base.
To assist in meeting those requests, a pool of Airmen has volunteered to support public affairs staff as tour guides.
"It was the best day of my Air Force career," said 1st Lt. Kathleen Hensley after recently guiding a local JROTC group around base.
"I had a great group of kids and they were really eager to learn," she said. "They were excited to be here and eager for me to share (my Air Force experience). They asked a lot of questions."
Lieutenant Hensley, 59th Medical Wing personnel center chief, is one of five trained volunteer base guides. She found the experience both informative and inspirational.
"I learned things about Lackland I didn't know and I've been here six months," Lieutenant Hensley said. "To spend the day with those kids, who have so much hope, was a good reminder of (why I joined the Air Force). I can't wait to do it again."
Volunteer Airmen have an opportunity to share their stories with area youth while giving back to the community at the same time, said 1st Lt. Natassia Cherne, 502nd Public Affairs OL-A deputy chief, who oversees the office's civic outreach element.
In the past year, 22 base tours were given to JROTC and ROTC units, reunion groups and schools, in addition to 11 scheduled monthly tours.
"We'd like a larger pool of volunteers because Air Force-wide, manning is low and deployment is high," she said. "It's important that these young men and women in JROTC and ROTC get the right picture of what the military is about and what it can do for them.
"We need volunteers to take the training, then share their Air Force experience while conducting a tour. Lackland has excellent company and field grade officers, NCOs and senior NCOs out there who would make great tour guides."
For Lieutenant Hensley, her participation in the program breaks the office routine.
"I'm married to my computer most of the time or at a meeting in someone else's office," she said. "It was nice to spend a day out and about on base."
Lieutenant Cherne said most JROTC and ROTC tours fall on Friday. The Friday tours attend BMT graduation, stop at the base exchange and military clothing stores, eat in a base dining facility, and if time allows, visit the USAF Airman Heritage Museum or the Lackland Security Forces Museum.
She also said some tours include a military working dog demonstration by the 802nd Security Forces Squadron. The lieutenant added she hoped to make the 3rd Combat Camera Squadron a future tour destination.
Airmen interested in being a volunteer base tour guide can contact Lieutenant Cherne at 671-5053 or via e-mail with their contact information.