APRIL 28, 2025 – There was a sense of anticipation and excitement as students with the Hermon JROTC sat aboard the bus, waiting to be escorted to the KC135-R to witness a refueling from the air. The sun was shining and the skies were clear, making for a promising flight.
The Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps or JROTC is a high school program that provides leadership, citizenship, and community service training. It is sponsored by the U.S. Armed Forces and focuses on developing students’ character and leadership skills. Some students use the JROTC in preparation for joining the military while others carry what they learn into other aspects of their lives.
On separate days, students with the Brewer and Hermon JROTC had the opportunity to travel to the base and accompany the aircrew and get an up-close look at the Maine Air National Guard’s mission. Both missions involved the refueling of F-15 Cs with the Massachusetts Air National Guard. Each student was able to witness the refueling and take pictures from the boom pod, catching a glimpse that few other people get the chance to.
Technical Sergeant Kyle Farley, a Boom Operator with the Maine Air National Guard spoke of the importance of programs like the JROTC and how it’s an effective recruiting tool.
It is a way for students to get a glimpse of what happens on base as well as getting the word out to others.
Boom Operator, Tech. Sgt. Hailey Harder mentioned how it is also a great way for students with military families to learn more about their relatives’ experiences and sacrifices.
“The JROTC is a leadership program,” said retired Army Major Marcel Fortier, the Hermon JROTC instructor. “Our mission is to motivate young people to become better citizens.”
These students are on the cusp of adulthood and many are making those life-changing decisions on what they want to do with their lives.
Allowing them a chance to see behind the scenes of what the Maine Air National Guard does may be the motivation they need to take those steps in joining.
Time marches onward and the future of the United States military could be a student watching in awe as a Boom Operator completes their mission with all the skill and confidence they have learned along the way.
Story by Tech. Sgt. Michelle Hopkins
101st Air Refueling Wing