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Installation open house shares 910th story with thousands

  • Published
  • By Eric White
  • 910th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

Deploy. Deliver. Defend.

That’s the mission of the 910th Airlift Wing. Usually, that mission statement has a worldwide emphasis, but for six hours on June 18, Youngstown Air Reserve Station deployed its personnel locally to deliver the message that the 910th is equipped, willing and ready to defend the United States. The venue for that mission was the 2016 Youngstown Air Reserve Station Open House.

The open house, the station’s first since 2008 and the first large-scale public event since 2014’s Thunder Over the Valley Air Show, provided the public an opportunity to see the unit’s C-130H Hercules aircraft up close, learn about the unique mission and capabilities at YARS and meet the Service members who call the station home.

Col. James Dignan, commander of the 910th Airlift Wing, initiated plans for the open house last year.

“The main reason for the open house is to get all our friends and family, neighbors from the Valley, onto the base and get them accustomed or re-accustomed to all the things we have going on here at YARS,” said Dignan. “(We want to) get them onto an airplane and give the 910th the chance to be neighborly.”

The station’s aircraft ramp featured four Youngstown C-130 displays, each configured for a different mission. One was loaded with the 910th Aerial Spray Flight’s Modular Aerial Spray System (MASS). The MASS is used to deliver aerial pesticides for eliminating disease-spreading insects, eliminate invasive weed species and unwanted vegetation in strategic areas and disperse oil spills on large bodies of water. The 910th operates the only aerial spray capability in the Department of Defense.

Another C-130 was set up for aeromedical evacuation with patient litters installed in the cargo area. One was arranged in a normal configuration for troop carrying, and the final C-130 was positioned with the cargo ramp partially open, ready to receive the goods from a K-loader full of palletized cargo. This latter setup is typical of the 910th’s primary function of tactical airlift.

Several units from YARS also set up interactive displays. The base Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department had fire trucks available with equipment ready for guests to try on. 910th Security Forces displayed their weapon systems and protective gear. The Aircrew Flight Equipment (AFE) shop had personnel on hand to show and explain night vision goggles, fight helmets, oxygen masks, 40-man life rafts, parachutes and other life-preserving equipment. AFE is responsible for maintaining this equipment which is available to aircrews during in-flight emergencies.

Senior Master Sgt. Jim Haupt is the superintendent of the AFE shop with the 910th Operations Support Squadron. Manning the AFE display area, Haupt often had crowds of more than 25 people listening to him explain what he does for the 910th. 

“I think telling the 910th story went well,” said Haupt. “There were a lot of people who didn’t even know we existed… It actually shows that we have involvement in the bigger picture of what goes on in the world today. I also think the facilities out here are incredible and most of the people here haven’t ever seen them.”

Haupt said many of the people with whom he interacted were blown away to learn what YARS has and offers to the United States’ defense.

Beyond telling the 910th story, large public events like open houses provide Air Force Reserve recruiters a venue for generating relationships with potential recruits.

Senior Master Sgt. John Wood is the 910th’s senior recruiter and set up an informational display with his team.

“This is giving us a great opportunity to meet people who don’t know about all the excellent opportunities available with the Air Force Reserve right here in Vienna,” said Wood. “This installation is close to home for many of them and is a great place to serve in the Air Force Reserve while working full-time civilian jobs, going to school or raising a family.”

By midway through the event, the recruitment staff had generated approximately 25 positive leads from interested potential recruits.

Fifteen-year-old Cody Stokes of Warren heard about the event through a friend whose mom is employed by the air station.

“I thought the open house was really fun,” said Stokes. “I got to walk around and see a lot of interesting things. The airplanes were really neat.”

The event attracted approximately 7000 visitors. The 2016 YARS Open House was a prelude to the Thunder Over the Valley Air Show featuring the United States Air Force Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team, scheduled for June 17-18, 2017.