GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas — The 17th Training Wing partnered with the Air Force Recruiting Service to host a base tour for 27 educators from across the U.S., July 21 and 22, showcasing how modern military training prepares Airmen and Guardians for the future.
The Distinguished Educators' Tour is an annual event designed to build a strong network of recruiting champions among teachers, school counselors, administrators and other educators by visiting a military installation for two days, providing firsthand insight into military trainees' daily operations, readiness and educational opportunities.
“The purpose of the Distinguished Educators’ tour, hosted by Goodfellow AFB in conjunction with the AFRS, is to give us the opportunity, as the Air Force, to teach distinguished educators the different education benefits and job opportunities that the Air and Space Force offer, which is significantly more job opportunities than people think exist,” stated U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Eli Prince, 341st Recruiting Squadron commander. “We’re in the business of improving people’s lives as they serve their nation.”
The tour focused on building relationships with educators to help them accurately represent military service as a viable and rewarding career path. By showcasing high-tech, highly intellectual careers, the tour directly countered the outdated stereotype of military service as a last resort, demonstrating that Airmen and Guardians represent America's best.
The educators engaged directly with recruiters, commanders, instructors and Airmen to understand how specialized skills translate to both military and civilian success, and they observed how training methods have evolved from traditional classroom lectures to high-stakes, competency-based learning. These demonstrations highlighted the character, intelligence and professionalism required of today's service members.
To ensure that Airmen and Guardians can focus on executing the mission, the tour also highlighted the comprehensive support system that surrounds each service member. By exploring the facilities utilized by the Goodfellow Medical Group, the 17th Mission Support Group and Wing Staff Agencies, educators saw how the military supports and values the quality-of-life of its personnel. This network reassures educators and parents that Airmen and Guardians are backed by multiple supporting services dedicated to their health, safety and readiness.
“This experience has been phenomenal to just allow me to see more in detail all that the Air Force could afford and offer to young people,” said Natalie Mack, homeschool consultant. “Sharing that can then potentially open up new awareness to the Air Force and then segue into, if you’re interested in knowing more, Air Force recruiters that we can get you in contact with, and they can provide the details specific to your situation.”
At the Louis F. Garland Department of War Fire Academy, the educators walked through the practical training environments utilized by future military firefighters, including a decommissioned C-130H Hercules aircraft. Rather than relying on simple checklists, the fire academy focuses on hands-on, high-stakes scenarios that validate students' operational competencies and proven mastery.
Along with the fire protection career field, the educators explored the Special Instruments Training (SPINSTRA) classrooms at the academy. As one of the Air Force’s most difficult and complex STEM pathways, SPINSTRA trains Airmen to operate, maintain and analyze highly specialized scientific and nuclear monitoring systems. Stepping into these technical spaces allowed the educators to see firsthand how the Air Force develops elite technical experts to solve complex global problems, highlighting the exceptional intellectual opportunities available to future service members.
The tour also spotlighted the Joint All-Domain Expeditionary Forward Operations Readiness Generation Exercise (JADE FORGE) training grounds. This simulated joint deployment area demonstrates how intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance warriors build a contested-environment mindset, training to operate through friction and chaos to support national security.
To accelerate learning, Goodfellow's Instructional Technology Unit demonstrated the integration of immersive technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality, from a peer-to-peer perspective. The ITU showcases Air Education and Training Command’s commitment to upskilling instructors from traditional lecturers into expert learning facilitators who leverage data-informed instructional methods that students will encounter during their military education.
“My job now is to take this knowledge back home to Hawaii and really try to do my best in expressing what I’ve seen in a very short amount of time and using the resources that we’ve been provided,” expressed Leka Anitma, high school counselor. “What I foresee happening now is more families aligning their goals with what the Air Force has to offer, and it's been an outstanding experience to know that we’re already doing so many similar things.”