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Ramstein hosted two groups of six U.S. Air Force Academy cadets over the past two months for Operation Air Force 2012.
Ops AF provides both USAFA and AF Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets with experience in the operational Air Force while focusing on different areas of cadet development.
“Before coming to Ramstein, I was expecting it to be more German,” said Cadet 2nd Class Kathryn Lopez, USAFA cadet. “Now that I’m here, this base is like a little slice of America.”
While here, each group toured several different squadrons to get an idea of the types of jobs available to them.
“I have always wanted to be a pilot,” said Cadet 2nd Class Claire Bieber, USAFA cadet. “Getting to see all my options was great, but this trip solidified me wanting to be a pilot.”
Jam packed with a number of things to do and places to see, the cadets took a tour of Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the contingency aeromedical staging facility, the fire station, the German Buechel Air Base, a castle in Landstuhl and received a C-130J Super Hercules incentive flight.
“The incentive flight was great,” said Cadet 2nd Class Brooke Bagdasar, USAFA cadet. “We were able to talk to the pilots and get their perspective on what their job is like.”
During their time here, the cadets went into Kaiserslautern to meet up with their German counterparts.
“The Ops Air Force ‘Host Nation Day’ was a rousing success,” said Maj. Christopher Bender, officer in charge of Ops AF. “Our day spent with our host nation counterparts was very pleasant and it was wonderful opportunity to foster the proud and lasting relationship between our nations.”
After touring the castle in Landstuhl, the first group of cadets ate lunch at the restaurant while discussing the events of the day.
“This has been an amazing experience,” Lopez said. “It was weird seeing how old everything is, but the Roman symbols and the caverns were cool.”
Visiting Ramstein and seeing everything the Air Force has to offer, the cadets had a lot to think about.
“Before coming here I was struggling with wanting to be a pilot or apply for medical school,” Bagdasar said. “After going to the hospital in Landstuhl, I found that being a surgeon is my dream. I am passionate about aiding wounded warriors and am now dead-set on going to medical school.”
Getting a feel for how the operational Air Force works was the experience of a lifetime and one that will never be forgotten, Bieber said.
Toward the end of their visit, the cadets thanked everyone for the time they took out of their work schedules to show the cadets what each unit does.
“It was one of the best opportunities and experiences I’ve ever had and I am so thankful to have been a part of it,” Bagdasar said.
