Cadets devoting week to military civil engineering exploration

FLORIDA – Three dozen cadets from 18 wings are learning about military civil engineering careers this week at the Air Force Civil Engineering Academy at the Silver Flag Training site at Tyndall Air Force Base.    

The academy, which began Sunday and lasts through Friday, exposes aspiring engineers to Air Force career opportunities in engineering-related fields.

The cadets learn about heavy equipment, robotics, construction, fire and rescue, demolitions and what it takes to design and construct an airfield from scratch. They take part in hands-on activities, simulations and career shadowing alongside Air Force members involved in Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers, or Red Horse.

The course’s academic elements introduce the math, science and technology involved in engineering, encouraging the cadets’ continued development of those skills in fulfillment of their career goals.

Col. John M. Knowles, academy director and Maryland Wing director, said he looked forward to seeing the cadets “getting hands-on experience designing air bases, setting up clean water plants, driving heavy equipment and seeing what it is like to work in fire and rescue and demolitions.”

 “My favorite quote from one of the students last year was, ‘This was the coolest experience I have ever had.’”  Knowles aid.


Staff

Director

• Col. John M. Knowles, Maryland Wing Headquarters.

Operations Officer/Assistant Director

• Col .David Carter, Virginia Wing Headquarters.

Administrative Officer

• Capt. Joanna Weiss, Harford Composite Squadron, Maryland Wing.

Tactical Officers

• Col. Lawrence Trick, St. Marys Composite Squadron, Maryland Wing.   
• Lt. Col. Rebecca Gallagher, Sandy Springs Cadet Squadron, Georgia Wing.
• 1st Lt. Andrew C. Hanes, South Baldwin County Composite Squadron, Alabama Wing.
• 2nd Lt. Andrew D. Wortman, Fort McHenry Composite Squadron, Maryland Wing.

        
Public Affairs Officer   

• Maj. Steven H Solomon, Southeast Region Headquarters.

Cadets

California Wing

• Skyhawk Composite Squadron 47 – Cadet 1st Lt. Michael Chung.

         
Florida Wing

• Central Florida Squadron – Cadet Tech. Sgt. Lee-Roy Hall.
• Citrus County Squadron – Cadet 2nd Lt. Melanie E. Lee.
• Gainesville Composite Squadron – Cadet Chief Master Sgts. Caleb D. Eades and Tyler H. Gwynn.
• Naples Cadet Squadron – Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Daniel A. Ferrao.   
• North Tampa-Lutz Cadet Squadron – Cadet 2nd Lt. Zachary S.  Dawson.

Georgia Wing

• Sandy Springs Cadet Squadron – Cadet Capt. James B. Curlee.     

Indiana Wing     

• Valparaiso Cadet Squadron – Cadet 2nd Lt. Donald H. Puent III.   

Louisiana Wing

• Capitol City Composite Squadron – Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Mary Ann Palisi.

Kentucky Wing

• Campbell County Composite Squadron – Cadet Master Sgt. Nathan M. Pappas.   

     
Maryland Wing         

• Glenn L. Martin Composite Squadron – Cadet 1st Lt. Michael J. Gentle Jr., Cadet 2nd Lt. Bart D. Bartgis and Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Charles A. Grebe.   

Michigan Wing

• Selfridge Cadet Squadron – Cadet 2nd Lt. Zechariah A. Vinson.

Minnesota Wing

• St. Paul Composite Squadron – Cadet 1st Lts. Derek G. Fox and Nicholas W. Demuse, Cadet 2nd Lt. Nicholas R. Tunell and Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Joseph A. Pahr.
• Viking Composite Squadron – Cadet 2nd Lt. Elias N. Wiff.

   
Missouri Wing

• Col. Travis Hoover Composite Squadron – Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Eric B. Workman.   

New Hampshire Wing

• Hawk Composite Squadron – Cadet Master Sgt.    Zacchaeus R. Graf.   
• Lebanon Composite Squadron – Cadet 1st Lt. Noah B. Johnson.   

New Jersey Wing

• Teaneck Composite Squadron – Cadet Master Sgt. Daniel A. Derasse.

North Carolina Wing

• Raleigh-Wake Composite Squadron – Cadet Maj. Kyle P. Zobel.     

Ohio Wing

• Wright-Patterson Cadet Squadron – Cadet 1st Lt. Sara J. Fishbein.

Oregon Wing

• Medford Composite Squadron – Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Steven F. Ohlund.

    .
South Carolina Wing

• Sumter Composite Squadron – Cadet Chief Master Sgt.  Jared F. Buniel.

       
Tennessee Wing

• Murfreesboro Composite Squadron – Cadet 2nd Lt. Amy D. Berent.
• Oak Ridge Squadron – Cadet Lt. Col. Kendall A. Worthington.   

Texas Wing

• Addison Eagles Composite Squadron – Cadet 2nd Lt. Scott D. Gulliksen.   
• Pegasus Composite Squadron – Cadet Chief Master Sgt. David W. Hamman.
• Randolph Composite Squadron – Cadet 2nd Lt. Luis M, Boothe.   
• Spindletop Cadet Squadron – Cadet Maj. Juliana M. Leano.

     
Virginia Wing

• Fredericksburg Composite Squadron – Cadet 2nd Lt. Leon Nathan Guerrero.
• Leesburg Composite Squadron – Cadet 2nd Lt. Matthew D. Esnardo.