Tour participants have the opportunity to tour Basic Military Training dormitories and get a first-hand glimpse into how Airmen train and liveat Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Hillary Stonemetz)
The Distinguished Educator Tour includes an upfront look at flying and educational programs at Randolph AFB, a visit to Basic Military Training at Lackland AFB, and one-on-one contact with scores of Airmen, from new accessions to general officers at both bases. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Hillary Stonemetz)
Air Force Recruiting Service’s Distinguished Educator Tour participants visit Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, to meet new recruits in various stages of Basic Military Training and Technical Training and have the opportunity to ask them about their training experiences. (US Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Hillary Stonemetz)
Distinguished Educators will attend a Basic Military Training coin ceremony during the DE tour. Trainees at BMT are presented their Airman's Coin during a ceremony at Lackland AFB, signifying their transition from trainees to Airmen. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Hillary Stonemetz)
Educators get front-row seats while watching the Basic Military Training graduation, a time honored tradition and an emotional event to witness. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Hillary Stonemetz)
Air Force Recruiting Service's Distinguished Educator Tours give educators such as principals, superintendents and guidance counselors from all over the nation the opportunity to experience the Air Force firsthand.
The main objective of the four-day tour is to show educators that the Air Force is a viable career opportunity for their best students. The Air Force recruits to retain, so the service seeks the brightest candidates possible, then provides them with tough, highly technical training that gives them the right skills to sustain the combat capability of America's Air Force. High school and community college educators are effective mentors who can tell their students about the many opportunities the U.S. Air Force offers. Air Force Recruiting Service accomplishes this by showing off the Air Force's best resource - its Airmen.
Tour overview
Starting with day one at Randolph Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas, educators meet enlisted members, officers and civilians from a variety of career fields to see how the Air Force recruits, trains and employs its Airmen. The tour includes an upfront look at flying and educational programs at Randolph AFB, a visit to Basic Military Training at Lackland AFB, and one-on-one contact with scores of Airmen, from new accessions to general officers at both bases.
Tour participants are selected for the all-expense paid trip from a nomination list com-piled by the 24 Air Force recruiting squadrons located around the United States. Recruiters visit schools within their regions and invite prominent educators to attend the Air Force orientation tour. Emphasis is placed on finding educators with little or no military experience. Each tour features about 30 educators.
For details
Educators interested in participating in the Distinguished Educator Tour should contact their nearest Air Force recruiting office. For office locations, visit the Recruiter Locator link on www.airforce.com.
Air Force recruiters seeking tour nomination details can call Headquarters Air Force Recruiting Service Public Affairs at (210) 565-4687 or DSN 665-4687.
Testimonials
The following paragraphs share what several AFRS Distinguished Educator Tour participants said about their experience as written on their post-tour surveys. The participant's last name and name of the school is withheld for privacy purposes.
"I would like to THANK you so very much for giving me the opportunity in participating on the Distinguished Educator Tour. The tour helped me learn a lot more about the Air Force." -- Tony, teacher and coach from Arizona
"I continue to envision my trip to Texas and all the wonderful times I had there ... thanks to all of the Air Force! I cannot thank you and everyone involved enough for the fantastic tour. Such great memories! I am telling everyone about my experience with the Air Force ... our superintendent asked me to talk about it at the board meeting ... and then it was on the front page of our local paper the next day! So, now people ask me about it all the time when I am out around town!" -- Vicky, guidance counselor from Ohio
"It was truly a once in a lifetime experience. I was especially touched by the personal stories that each person shared about what brought them to the Air Force. I know there will be stories that students at my high school will bring to their counselors who may help guide them to investigate the Air Force as an option. After speaking with my staff, I feel that they too see the potential and the unique opportunities the Air Force has to offer." -- Melissa, guidance counselor from Massachusetts
"Thank you for making the Air Force Distinguished Educator visit to San Antonio such meaningful and enlightening experience." -- Cliff, department of education in Maine
