LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- Have you ever wondered about the impact you have on others?
Retired Air Force veterans Maj. Stacey Wiggins and Chief Master Sgt. John Thomas, continue to invest in the next generation of Airmen, working as cadre for the Air Force Junior ROTC (AFJROTC) program at Lakeview High School, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana.
To culminate this year’s AFJROTC course, the duo brought 25 cadets to Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas to tour the base, learn more about military culture and what the U.S. Air Force has to offer.
For many of these cadets, getting to visit a military installation and interacting with Airmen didn’t just offer them a sneak peek at what their lives may be like should they enlist – it provided a vehicle to live a better future than the one they grew up in.
Many of the cadets come from broken homes and the JROTC program offers many of them stability, support and hope.
Throughout the tour, many cadets shared their stories about their past. One cadet recounted being abandoned at age two and being raised by a neighbor. Another is growing up without his four older siblings, all of whom are incarcerated.
The AFJROTC Lakeview cadre are laying down the ground work for a new foundation, one built on character and self-investment.
“Our motto is, ‘I will not lie, cheat or steal. Nor will I tolerate those who lie, cheat or steal among us.’ These principles are critical not only when creating a family but also maintaining it,” said Thomas, Lakeview H.S. AFJROTC enlisted cadre.
The cadets don’t just learn this to pass a course, they use it to rebuild their own lives and make it a part of their internal framework.
“The mission of AFJROTC is to develop citizens of character dedicated to serving their nation and community,” said one hopeful cadet. “The importance of service and understanding how it positively impacts cadets, schools, communities and the nation is a critical component of what they strive to teach through the AFJROTC program and is a central part of their mission.”
During the tour, the cadets had the opportunity to see many moving parts that make up the Air Force enterprise. They witnessed a military working dog demonstration, attended a Company Grade Officer panel to learn about the commissioning process and the jobs available in the Air Force, toured the air traffic control tower, and explored the inside of a C-130J Super Hercules.
Following the tour, the cadets expressed one of the things that meant the most to them was seeing active-duty Airmen working with people who had become family.
“Our goal is to show these cadets that there is a bright future out there for each of them,” Thomas said. “The military is one option to trade in a broken past for a bright future in uniform.”