388th FW visits residents in UTTR outlying communities

  • Published
  • By Andrea V. Mason
  • 388th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah --  Residents of two small, outlying communities, who dwell under the Utah Test and Training Range, had an opportunity to talk and visit with range members Oct. 18.

The 388th Range Squadron sponsored the annual community outreach tour to explain their mission to the residents of Callao, Utah, and Ely, Nev.

For the past 10 years, longtime Callao resident Cecil Garland has welcomed the group and looks forward to their annual visit.

"We always learn something new when the team visits, and we really appreciate this opportunity to have some of our questions answered and any concerns addressed," Garland said.

Col. David Reth, 388th Fighter Wing Range Squadron commander, led this annual outreach tour. Wing members accompanying him were Jerry Angus, chief of airspace management and scheduling; Kenneth Vincent, airspace management, and F-16 pilot Capt. Tom Werner.

Werner is assigned to the wing's 4th Fighter Squadron and deployed twice to Afghanistan.

Callao is located about 60 miles south of Wendover, Utah, and accessible only by dirt roads. Nearly 20 residents and a few of their guests met the group members.

Reth first thanked everyone for his or her continued support of the wing and of the UTTR.

"We would not be able to do our mission and train on the UTTR if we didn't receive such great support from community members like you," he said.

Following the colonel's presentation, Werner became a tour favorite when he showcased his flying gear, which included a G-suit, helmet and some other life support gear.

He explained in detail the "day in the life of a pilot," which begins with the mission preparation to the tactical execution and concludes with the closeout brief where lessons learned and what to do better next time is fully examined.

"Some may have a misunderstanding that pilots just hop in the jet and fly," Werner said. "Now as you can see, it's hours of preparation followed by hours spent ensuring we don't make the same mistake twice.

"We're getting every bit of training out of the time we're up there out on the UTTR," Werner said.

After his presentation, 13-year-old John Reil, a Callao resident, tried on Werner's G-suit and seemed in awe of the apparel.

"It was really cool trying on all the gear," said Reil.

Resident Dean Alder has lived in Callao for 30 years, and her son is currently serving in Afghanistan. She said she appreciated Werner's presentation.

"Thank you for taking the time to explain this to us," Alder said. "This really helps me to better understand my son's life right now over in Afghanistan."

At the end of the visit, Reth said farewell to the Callao residents and told them he's enjoyed visiting the small community of about 50 people. "It's been a pleasure coming out here this year at last to visit you all," he said.

The tour concluded with a presentation in Ely later that evening where attendees watched a UTTR video, learned more about the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, and discussed the area's airspace.

The outreach tour program began in 2001 as a result of Hill Air Force base receiving noise complaints from residents who live in the range's outlying communities.

"Since we began these outreach tours, I think people now have a better understanding of what we do on the UTTR, and I hope they can see just how vital it is for our nation's joint combat training efforts. The range's mission is to test weapons and train warriors, and without the support of our neighbors, this national treasure may not be all it is today," said Reth.

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