PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE NATION CAME TO TAMPA TO
EXPERIENCE MACDILL'S 2016 AIRFEST.
MACDILL FOUND THEMSELVES FILLED TO CAPACITY AS
NEARLY ONE-HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE
EXPERIENCED THE AVAIATION ODYSSEY. THEY HOSTED
MULTIPLE AIR DEMONSTRATIONS, AS WELL AS
STATIC DISPLAYS TO INCLUDE, TYNDALL AIR FORCE
BASE'S VERY OWN F-22 RAPTOR.
THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THIS IS THE GREATEST JET
IN THE WORLD, SO IT'S GREAT TO BE ABLE TO SHOW
IT OFF TO PEOPLE, AND SAY, 'HEY, THIS IS WHERE YOUR
MONEY IS GOING, AND WE ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO FLY
IT, AND WE LOVE DOING IT.
IT MAKES US FEEL GOOD THAT WHAT WE DO, PEOPLE
APPRECIATE IT, AND IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT
APPRECIATION FROM THEM.
ONE PRIORITY OF AIRFEST WAS SHOWCASING THE MIGHT
OF UNRIVALED AIR POWER, BUT ACCORDING TO MACDILL'S
WING COMMANDER, THEY COULDN'T PASS UP AN
OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THE COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS
THEM, TOGETHER.
IT MEANS AN AWFUL LOT TO ALL THE AIRMEN, SOLDIERS,
SAILORS, MARINES, AND COAST GUARDSMEN THAT CALL
MACDILL HOME EVERYDAY.
YOU KNOW WE HAVE ABOUT 18,000 TO 19,000 PEOPLE
THAT WORK HERE. THIS IS OUR ONE OPPORTUNITY WHERE
WE GET TO OPEN OUR DOORS, AND OPEN OUR GATES,
WELCOME THE COMMUNITY THAT EMBRACES US EVERYDAY, SHOW
THEM WHAT WE DO, SHOW THEM WHY WE'RE PROUD TO BE
AMERICANS, AND WHY FOCUSING ON SUPPORTING,
DEFENDING, AND TAKING CARE OF AMERICANS IS OUR NUMBER
ONE PRIORITY. THE WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL AIR FORCE IS
ON FULL DISPLAY, IT'S SPECTACULAR.
THIS YEAR'S EVENT MARKED 75 YEARS OF AMERICA'S
AVIATION EXCELLENCE. REPORTING FROM MACDILL AIR
FORCE BASE, FLORIDA, I'M AIRMAN FIRST CLASS ROSWELL
SARTWELL SUGGESTED TAG