Teachers take flight with the Tennessee National Guard

On 18 November, soldiers from Jackson’s 1-230th Assault Helicopter Battalion flew two Black Hawk helicopters to Cordova, Tennessee, for students and faculty to learn about the aircraft, requirements to become pilots and crew, and learn about aviation. They also had the chance to learn about opportunities available to them in the National Guard.

Landing on the Cordova High School baseball field, guardsmen were greeted by students and staff as they shut down both helicopters. Next, the pilots and crew gave tours of the aircraft and answered questions.

“It was very reassuring that students still want knowledge about something new,” said Mia Moore, a health sciences teacher at the school. “I was super excited that they were interested and wanted to know more.”

Give students better understanding of the Guard

For several of the school’s teachers, the education did not end there. Many of them had the opportunity to take an educational and introductory flight around the city of Cordova.

“Students spend nearly six hours a day, five days a week with their teachers and flights like this provide teachers with a hands-on learning experience as a way to understand what the Guard does,” said Lieutenant Colonel Richard Stackpole, Commander of Tennessee’s Recruiting and Retention Battalion. “They can then take these experiences into the classroom and engage students with a better understanding of the Guard and the various opportunities available to them in the future.”

Earlier this year, US Pennsylvania National Guard helicopter crews conducted water bucket training at Fort Indiantown Gap.