On 27 September, 2023, 27 Air Force JROTC cadets attended a field trip to Arnold Air Force Base in Tullahoma, Tennessee. Arnold Air Force Base tests aircraft parts, including wings and rocket engines. The engines being tested range from rocket engines, such as the one found in the Tomahawk (LAM), to engines found in the F35 Lighting fighter jet. Much of the mission of the base was classified and cadets were not allowed to bring any electronics into any of the buildings. Arnold AFB is a center of operation for many different flight testing facilities all over the U.S. with their fastest wind tunnel being in Maryland, which can reach Mach 14.

The cadets attending the field trip were all in Major Lacey’s Aerospace and Science of Flight class. When cadets arrived, they were given a tour of the base and were shown a couple of facilities. The first facility they were shown was Administrative Bldg. 100, where they were greeted by the base command chief, CMSgt Cirricione  She briefly spoke about the history of the installation and what purpose it serves, as well as answering any questions cadets had. After that, the cadets were driven to the base Model Shop, where they were given a tour and taught what the workers do and how precise every piece of equipment that the shop machines make has to be.  Lastly, the cadets were driven back to Administrative Bldg. 100, where they were brought to a conference room and were able to ask questions to active duty personnel about Senior ROTC and the Air Force Academy. 

Visiting a military installation in itself was exciting, but seeing the application of what the AFJROTC cadets have been learning this semester in class was priceless.