Photo By Tech. Sgt. Sean Madden | STEM campers being secured in place on an HH-60W Jolly Green II rescue helicopter,...... read more read more
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Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base, Westhampton Beach, N.Y. - Students got hands-on experience learning how the Air Force uses science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) during a camp hosted by the New York Air National Guard, 106th Rescue Wing, July 31 to August 3, at Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base.
In 2023, the inaugural program was the first Air National Guard STEM camp, welcoming students from seventh to 12th grade who were all dependents of service members assigned to the 106th Rescue Wing.
In 2024, the program expanded to included local area students and others from outside the Department of Defense (DoD) community. This year, participation grew even further, with non-DoD students making up the majority of campers for the first time.
“There are close to 40 students from 17 High Schools and as far out as Staten Island,” said Glyn Weir the Mission Support Group commander and a STEM camp planner. “We are honored to have given each one of them this experience and the opportunity to see the different paths to STEM within the Department of Defense, specifically the 106th Rescue Wing.”
The DoD-funded program is meant to foster community engagement with the military while providing educational programs and activities designed around student interest in STEM fields.
During the four days, the students learned how to load cargo on an HC-130J Combat King II search and rescue aircraft, how the HH-60W Jolly Green II rescue helicopters operate, and how aircraft are repaired and maintained. They also learned how a base communicates locally and globally, and how the 106th Rescue Wing responds to natural disasters.
On day one campers learned how to generate aircraft load plans, calculate weight and balance, and see how other related technologies are utilized to accomplish the mission. Students were given models of vehicles, supplies and passengers to visualize and understand the loading process. Instruction was given on how to find the centerline of the equipment and personnel weight, for safe aircraft loading and transport.
The students also received their humanitarian mission briefing, which involved the simulated response to an earthquake in Estonia.
The second day introduced students to the maintenance section where they learned about aircraft hydraulics, fuels, metal work and electrical systems, and were allowed to use tools associated with those areas of aircraft maintenance.
Later that day, students visited the 106th Communications Squadron where they were taught about voice-over-internet, satellite communication and radio communication. Students placed a satellite radio antenna in position and then connected with a satellite, determined signal strength and transmitted voice communication between teams of other STEM campers.
Students also learned how to make an ethernet cable, which is used to connect critical communications equipment to transmit data over the network.
These skills would play an important role in the disaster response simulation to come.
“You had to really focus and if you got stuff wrong, there'd be real consequences for the operation,” said Patrick M, 15. ”It was fun, it was realistic.”
Day three brought the lessons from the first two days together, culminating in a scenario where students coordinated simulated helicopter rescues of injured people and missions to deliver critical supplies.
The Tactical Operations Center divided STEM students into two teams, said Master Sgt. Joseph Graziano, assigned to the 106th Communications Squadron and a STEM camp planner. Campers are working all the skills that they practiced this week in order to affect the mission of saving lives, which is our number one mission.
Students received information about terrain and landmarks for flight operations. They worked with maps and other organizational tools to deal with weather and navigation while relaying intelligence and instructions for personnel recovery over telephone and radio, to arrange delivery of humanitarian supplies. Campers also guided simulated efforts of rescue helicopters, rescue airplanes, aircrews, rescue personnel and people in need of medevac.
Every scenario the students faced were taken from the real-world personal experience of the exercise planners during actual rescue missions, said Graziano.
On day four, campers went for flights in either the HC-130J Combat King II rescue aircraft or an HH-60W Jolly Green II rescue helicopter, which are operated by the wing.
Student flew from Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base over Long Island and back.
“I never thought I'd be able to fly in a helicopter,” said Emma W., 16. “I went over my school, I went over my house, just seeing what they see in the helicopter was so cool.
A graduation ceremony concluded the four-day event and each student received a certificate.
The 106th Rescue Wing, based at Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Westhampton Beach, N.Y., operates and maintains the HC-130J Combat King II search and rescue aircraft and HH-60W Jolly Green II rescue helicopters. The 106th Rescue Wing is home to a special warfare squadron with pararescuemen, combat rescue officers, specializing in rescue and recovery, and deploys for domestic and overseas operations.
| Date Taken: | 08.05.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.05.2025 02:00 |
| Story ID: | 545669 |
| Location: | WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 83 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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