Laughlin instructor pilots teach more than just Air Force aviators

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Austin M. May
  • 47th Flying Training Wing public affairs
LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Day after day, instructor pilots here take to the skies with their students, teaching them what it takes to be an aviator in the Air Force.

But once the student pilots have gone home to study for the next day of training, some Laughlin IPs take on the responsibility of teaching a smaller, younger group of pupils.

What began with 1st Lt. Kirby Sanford, an IP with the 85th Flying Training Squadron, looking for a way to help the local community has blossomed into an extremely successful tutoring program.

"Each day, I along with many IPs meet at [Del Rio Middle School] and instruct on the science portion of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test and other various subjects," Lieutenant Sanford said. "We average one or two instructors per day going over during their off time to volunteer."

Lieutenant Sanford, a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, said the program allows the students to see a personal side of the Air Force, which has a strong presence in Del Rio.

Currently, the group of tutors is about 20-strong, made up of instructors from several of the base's flying training squadrons, but the lieutenant expects to see that number grow as word spreads and people from around base invest time in the program.

"With the addition of some 47th Operations Support Squadron students and a few from the other flying squadrons we should really be able to expand the tutoring to help bring more [Airmen] to the students."

Capt. Erik Jung, an 84th FTS IP who also volunteers with the program, said he thinks "it's cool to find out what motivates each kid to want to learn."

"I think the kids are able to see us as normal people who were just like them at one point," the captain said. "Maybe it gets them thinking about taking their education further than they had previously planned."

Another tutor, 1st Lt. Justin Ankenbruck, 85th FTS, said while he believes the students are the biggest benefactors of the program, it is not without rewards for the IPs.

"The benefit to the IPs is that we may not be used to interacting on an instructional level with this particular age group, which is most certainly expanding our horizons as teachers and mentors," the lieutenant said.

Faculty members at Del Rio Middle School feel the visits from the IPs make an impact that will extend well beyond the TAKS test. Vianka Berain, the program liaison between the school and base, said the students are not only receiving one-on-one instruction that will prepare them for the assessment, but are able to discuss the practical applications of science in the real world. She also said students get excited when they see pilots at the school, wondering who will be selected for tutoring that day.

"It's very rewarding to see our students excited about learning," Berain said. "The program is something new, with a fresh idea which makes the kids eager to learn.

"We know we all need to work together to make a difference in the lives of children," she continued. "This program is an excellent example of how the school community and the base community can promote student achievement through tutoring and mentoring."

Lieutenant Ankenbruck believes the program gives students a new perspective on the military.

"I think it's a chance for people to see we have more to offer than just serving in a military sense," he said. "We are public servants, and this shows that we are more diverse than just flying airplanes or fighting."

The IP who started it all, Lieutenant Sanford, said the program has been so influential that Del Rio High School has expressed interest in bringing in tutors, meaning more volunteers will be needed soon.

"Others can volunteer by sending me their name and organization and I can send them the background check forms to fill out," he said. "They would be able to help throughout the day, even if for only 45 minutes. It's all positive for the students."