MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- School Age Care children from around the station spent Aug. 17-18 with Marines learning what it is they do here. During their first day, station Marines volunteered their time and took approximately 60 children, ages 5-12, on an airfield facilities tour.
Gunnery Sgt. Shane Smoger was responsible for organizing the SAC’s tour.
“(The tour) was just to give them an idea of what it is their moms and dads do,” said Smoger. “It‘s a unique opportunity for kids this age to be on a military base and to see that their mom and dad all play an important role to the military, to the Marine Corps and to the air station.”
The children were given the opportunity to tour the air traffic control tower and the different offices responsible for keeping the airfield operational.
Station Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Marines also gave the children the opportunity to tour the ARFF facilities.
The children got a hands-on learning experience as they climbed into an ARFF rescue vehicle and shot off a water hose at cones.
“I just wanted the kids to have fun,” said Smoger. If they have fun while they‘re experiencing all this, it will make it much easier for them to learn everything that goes on in the operations department, he added.
SAC personnel also agreed the tour was a valuable learning experience for the children.
Nina Nutell, SAC program assistant, said the tour gave the children an opportunity for them to see what they can do with their own life.
On the second day, Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 air operations Marines set up different stations at Penny Lake, which showed the children MWSS-171’s capabilities.
The children rotated through each station discussing MWSS-171 abilities to forecast weather, dispose of explosive ordnance and supply fuel.
“We wanted to give them an idea of what MWSS-171 air ops does as a whole to help support the flight line,” said Master Sgt. Andra Hall, MWSS-171 fuels operations chief. “(We wanted) to give them a broad view on how we support this flight line whether we are here or go deploy somewhere. (We want them to see) the assets we bring to the fight.”
The children eagerly ran from one station to another, learning and having fun at the same time.
“It was really cool to learn about things I didn‘t know,” said Elizabeth Hennings, a 9-year-old SAC child.
Hennings said she was impressed with how the ground support was able to keep in contact with the air units no matter how far in the sky they were.
Anyone interested in having their child involved with the station SAC center here can call 253-4769.