Children of employees at the 179th Airlift Wing had a glimpse of what a typical workday entails for their mothers and fathers on Thursday in recognition of Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day at the Mansfield Lahm Airport.
Various activities and demonstrations were set up throughout the base. Children had the opportunity to try on night vision helmets and chemical gear, tour a C-130 plane, spray fire hoses, watch a flag folding display, visit the Environmental Management and Security Forces, and walk through tent city—a demonstration at the 200th RED HORSE Squadron that depicted the living conditions of deployed unit members.
Col. Gary McCue’s daughters, Carly, Josie, and Zoe McCue, each enjoyed a different aspect about the day’s events. Carly McCue said she enjoyed spraying the fire hose. “It was pretty easy,” she said. “I just tried to hit the cone.”
Josie McCue liked trying on the equipment. “I had a bulletproof vest on with handcuffs,” she said. And Zoe McCue enjoyed visiting the Environmental Management and participating in a relay race.
The medical training “man” demonstration intrigued some of the children, including Joshua Atwell, son of Master Sgt. Wendy Atwell. “I got a close up view of his mouth,” he said. “I should have tried to feel his uvula.”
Senior Master Sgt. Bill Bringman explained that the medical training man is a computer-driven simulator that the base uses for medical training.
Executive Officer Amy Whitehead said she received positive feedback from both children and parents and that the day’s events proved to be educational, even for some of the unit members. “One of the unit members said he learned something about the flag etiquette,” she said.
Whitehead was integral in helping organize the day’s events. She said that she had researched “take your child to work day” and wanted to help set something up at the 179th Airlift Wing that would get the children engaged.
“It’s nice to bring your child to work, but kids get bored,” she said. “But here at the 179th there are so many other things to do and learn about. And that’s what it’s all about.”
Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day was initiated by the Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Foundation. This year’s theme is “Plant a Seed, Grow a Future.” For more information, visit the website.
