Airmen talk to Australian students

  • Published
  • By Capt. Renee Lee
  • PACAF Public Affairs
AVALON AIRPORT, Victoria, Australia --  U.S. military members supporting the 2009 Australian International Airshow recently lit up young faces during visits to an elementary school near in the nearby town of Lara March 11 and 12.

A mix of pilots, flight engineers and security forces, totaling nine, spoke to about 500 excited students over a span of two-days at Lara Primary School.

The servicemembers, including a Navy pilot, talked to groups of students ages 5 and 6 and later with students ages 11 and 12 on both days. The anxious students asked numerous questions to the servicemembers on various topics including life in the United States and life in the U.S. Air Force and Navy.

The students study aviation and flight during science classes, said Mary Britton, Lara Primary teacher and coordinator for the visit, particularly around the Australian International Airshow.

"We can hear all the jets as they fly over the school," Ms. Britton said.. "The kids get excited and rush to the window so they love to get first-hand accounts of people and anything to do with flight. (The pilots' visits) are other ways of getting their interest."

"Talking to the kids was an outstanding opportunity to share with the local elementary school about the C-5 Galaxy," said Maj. Ben Buller, C-5 aircraft commander at the airshow. "We enjoyed the outstanding Australian hospitality and we hope to have the opportunity to do this again in the future."

This was the second visit by U.S. military members participating in the Australian International Airshow, the first one in 2007.

"We would love to continue to do this in the future," Ms. Britton said. "(The U.S. military members) are really nice role models of their country."