Photo By Staff Sgt. Devin Rumbaugh | U.S. Airmen assigned to the 621st Contingency Response Squadron welcome Paul Kudowitz...... read more read more
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After years of medical battles that would challenge the strongest adults, 12-year-old Paul Kudowitz will get the chance to step into the boots of an Air Force Contingency Response Airman during a special on Friday, Aug. 22, 2025.
The Check-6 Foundation, in partnership with the 621st Contingency Response Squadron, will host Paul and his family for an exclusive “CR Airman for a Day” experience, providing him with an inside look at the critical work of Contingency Response teams – specialized Air Force units that rapidly deploy to establish airfield operations in challenging environments worldwide. Paul’s parents and three siblings will join him for this special day.
Paul’s journey to this moment has been marked by extraordinary resilience. Born with a condition affecting his bladder development and kidney function, he has undergone numerous reconstructive surgeries since childhood. At age seven, Paul faced end-stage renal failure and required a life-saving kidney transplant. Despite ongoing health challenges, including a recent transplant rejection that required intensive treatment throughout much of the last school year, Paul continues to face each day with remarkable courage.
“Paul’s strength and determination embody the warrior spirit we see in our Airmen every day,” said Mike Knapp, Check-6 Foundation’s Pilot for a Day program director. “We’re honored to give him this opportunity to experience military aviation and see firsthand the incredible work our Contingency Response teams do around the world.”
During his special day, Paul will receive a personalized uniform with military patches, tour aircraft and facilities, and learn about the Air Force’s diverse missions. He’ll get an up-close look at how Contingency Response Airmen prepare to rapidly establish air mobility operations anywhere in the world, often in remote or challenging locations where their expertise is critical to mission success.
This event marks an expansion of Check-6’s successful Pilot for a Day program, which has provided over 35 similar experiences nationwide to young people facing serious illnesses.
Paul’s mother, Laura Kudowitz, expressed the family’s excitement about the upcoming experience. “Paul has shown such incredible strength through everything he’s faced. This opportunity means the world to him and our whole family. It’s something positive and exciting to look forward to after so many challenging times.”
| Date Taken: | 08.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.25.2025 09:34 |
| Story ID: | 546375 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NEW JERSEY, US |
| Web Views: | 621 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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