Career day offers hands-on introduction to Air Force careers

  • Published
  • By J.C. Corcoran
  • 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
HANSCOM AFB, Mass. --  When you're 16 or 17 years of age, choosing a career can be a daunting task, especially in today's fast-paced world of high tech systems and "get it now" attitudes.

However, for 37 students who recently took part in this year's Job Shadow Day, things may have been made a little easier after seeing what is being done here by both our military and civilian work force.

The students came from two local high schools, Bedford High School and Shawsheen Technical Valley High School as well as from Woodstock Academy in Connecticut.

They began their day with a welcome from Fran Duntz, Electronic Systems Center executive director, who provided the students some background on her career and the opportunities she was able to take advantage of as a civilian member of the Air Force family. She reminded the students that similar opportunities await them should they choose the Air Force as a career path and challenged them to ask questions as they visited the different work centers here.

Lt. Col. Dale Van Dusen, 630th Electronic Systems Squadron commander, provided the students with the military perspective and, like Ms. Duntz, invited them to take advantage of their time on base by asking questions and learning as much as they could about the important work being done at Hanscom.

Following a brief mission overview, it was off to the various offices to get a first-hand look at the work being done here. From work centers such as the C4 Enterprise Integration Facility to the Hanscom Child Development Center, it was a day of learning that couldn't be found in a classroom.

Also on the itinerary were stops at the Base Multimedia Center, the 642nd Electronic Systems Squadron, where they received Force Protection briefings and presentations, followed by the 66th Security Forces Squadron, the Hanscom Flight Training Center and the 66th Medical Group.

This year's event was sponsored by the Lexington-Concord Chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association Diversity Committee. Student groups were escorted by members of the young AFCEA'ns and the Junior Force Council. This years group of students, although smaller than previous years due to conflicts in school schedules, where no less enthusiastic to learn about the opportunities and the variety of jobs that make up the Hanscom workforce.