I never really understood what Seymour Johnson Air Force base was about, since I only visited for air shows and demonstrations, but my base visit with Det 585 opened my eyes to a different view of how the base really functions. Seymour Johnson is home to the 4th Fighter Wing and the 916th Air Refueling Wing. We had a tour of the flight line, full of F-15E Strike Eagles, as well as an inside look of a KC-135 tanker. Although we did not get to fly, we still learned a great deal about the plane, and received some insight from a few officers. After visiting the maintenance hangar, we climbed up to the flight tower and learned a few things about how planes are tracked and maneuvered from the tower.

After lunch, we viewed the air traffic controllers on the ground, and saw how they managed their jobs. My favorite part about the visit would probably be the flight simulators we used at the end of the tour. Although I’m pretty set on being a pilot, the simulator gave me a little taste of what it’s like to be a WSO, or Weapons Systems Officer. Everyone had tons of fun using teamwork to take out cyber-buildings. All in all, the visit was a great experience, and provided a few insights into different career choices, as well as an inside look at how Seymour Johnson AFB functions.

By Cadet Thomas