JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
The 1st Helicopter Squadron flew more than 50 cadets from the University of Virginia's ROTC Detachment 890 here, Aug. 27, 2021.
The flights provided the future Air Force leaders the opportunity to meet with active duty pilots and receive one-on-one mentorship on various aspects of the life and job of an Air Force officer.
"The excitement and focus that I saw in the cadets of Detachment 890 was motivating and reinforced to me that the future of our Air and Space Force is secure, "said Col. Tyler Schaff, 316th Wing and Joint Base Andrews commander. "The 1st Helicopter Squadron personnel did a phenomenal job orienting the cadets to the UH-1 and also participated in a question and answer session with the cadets; it doesn't get any better than current leaders developing tomorrow's leaders."
The cadets expressed how these flights have been a topic of conversation for months within the detachment and how much they had been looking forward to the event.
"We don't get a lot of opportunities like this in ROTC so it's really great to be able to fly in a helicopter; I thought this was a great opportunity for everyone interested in flying," said Cadet Col. Alexis Haskiell, Wing commander of Det. 890.
Capt. Timothy Robles, assistant professor of air science and one of many mentors for the detachment, touched on his gratitude for the opportunity his cadets received: "We cannot thank this squadron enough for taking the time out to help our cadets. It really helps mold and shape them towards having a better and successful career."