Honorary Commanders at play for Dobbins Day

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Lauren Douglas
  • 94 Airlift Wing Public Affairs
Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga. --  More than 50 members of the Honorary Commanders Association 2015 class experienced an up-close and personal look into the day-to-day responsibilities of Citizen Airmen at Dobbins Day here Feb. 12.

The event was a full-day tour to various units around Dobbins that included business and civic leaders from the greater Atlanta area.

Guests arrived to breakfast and a wing mission brief from Col. Jim DeVere, 94th Operations Group commander. The HCA members took flight in C-130 aircraft simulators, encountered the realism of aeromedical evacuation crew procedures, ate lunch in a field kitchen, observed a deployed-like environment, explored the flight deck of a C-130, and witnessed two air drop training missions.

“It is important to show civilians what we do inside the fence,” said DeVere. “Their tax dollars keep us functioning, so they deserve to know what happens here.”

Honorary commanders practiced co-piloting a C-130 Hercules in a realistic simulation session under the direction of a retired pilot and simulator instructor. The C-130 is capable of operating from rough, dirt strips and is the prime transport for airdropping troops and equipment into hostile areas.

“I got to do a flight simulation at Robins [Air Force Base, Ga.] before, but I crashed,” exclaimed Sarah Baska, honorary commander participant from Georgia Senator David Perdue’s office. “I enjoyed it so much. This one was way easier. I’m just glad I didn’t crash this time.”

Force Support Silver Flag Training Center staff provided lunch in an expeditionary kitchen tent replicating the conditions of a deployed environment. Silver Flag staff gave guests a taste of what deployed Airmen experience with a tour of their training grounds. The constructed tents allowed them a glimpse at canvas, pavilion-styled recreational, fitness and mortuary facilities.

“From an educational standpoint, it’s fantastic,” said Charlie Barnwell, honorary commander participant. “I’ve been to Marine Day and Dobbins Day. They are great for connecting civilians and military.”

After lunch, the honorary commanders were escorted to the flight line observation deck. There, they observed two air drops. The first drop was a supply drop where the crew dropped supplies from a C-130 to an established ground target. Second was a Marine drop where four Marines parachuted from the plane prepared to land on their own established targets.

“The drop they got to experience today was a normal training operation, not just a demo for the tour,” explained DeVere.

“I thought the drop was pretty spectacular,” elaborated Barnwell. “My favorite part was the simulator. Not many civilians will ever be able to see something like that.”

The HCA is a Cobb County Chamber of Commerce program that introduces local civic leaders to the U.S. military.