kids tour

Tech. Sgt. Timothy Hiday, 388th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Viper West Demo Team, shows the students part of an F-16 and answers questions. The two students and their families got to learn about the F-16 aircraft and meet the Viper West Demo Team. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Melissa Dearstone)

kids tour

Airman 1st Class Kenneth Bays and Airman 1st Class German Rubio-Arroyo, Hill Air Force Base Honor Guard, demonstrate the proper way to fold the U.S. flag for two students from Snow Horse Elementary School and their families. Airman 1st Class Madison Donnell, 75th Communications Squadron, put together a tour for the two students after receiving their letters during the holiday season. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Melissa Dearstone)

kids tour

Staff Sgt. Juan Alomar and Staff Sgt. Joshua Armstrong, 388th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Viper West Demo Team, explain to Tyler Peterson, a student at Snow Horse Elementary School, about some of the controls in the cockpit of the F-16. The students and their families got to sit inside the F-16 and experience what it was like to be a pilot. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Melissa Dearstone)

Airman gives back to students

Published April 14, 2011
By Airman 1st Class Melissa Dearstone
75th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- Tyler Peterson and Colton Tidwell, students at Snow Horse Elementary School, were invited to Hill Air Force Base to learn about the F-16 aircraft and visit the Hill AFB Honor Guard.

Around the holiday seasons, a lot of students write to the troops in deployed locations thanking them for their service. Last December Hill AFB Post Office received two letters from local students.

"We weren't sure if we should open the letters, but we did, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to give something back to those boys and thank them for their letters," said Airman 1st Class Madison Donnell, 75th Communications Squadron.

Donnell coordinated the event and made it possible for the boys and their families to actually sit in and learn about the F-16 Fighting Falcon in a recent tour of the base.

"My favorite part about the F-16 was the button that makes everything go BOOM!" Peterson said.

After meeting the Viper West team and exploring the F-16, the tour moved on to the Honor Guard where they were given rifle and flag folding demonstrations as well as learning about why the Honor Guard is important to the Air Force.

"This has been really cool and exciting!" Tidwell said.

Airman Donnell said this community service project has been her baby since December when she started coordinating with everyone, but it was definitely worth it and fun to do!

"This has been a really hard project to put together, but it's also been really exciting!" said Donnell. "All the officers and leadership were more than helpful and always pointed me in the right direction."

Donnell would like to give a special thank you to 1st Lt. Shannon Laubenthal, 421st Aircraft Maintenance Unit; the Viper West Demo Team; Lt. Col. Matthew Deyo, 75th Operations Support Squadron;, Donna Walls, Commissary grocery manager; and Master Sgt. Thomas Smith, Hill AFB Honor Guard.