By Maj. DOUGLAS E. JESSMER
Florida Wing Director of Public Affairs
LAKELAND, Fla., April 28, 2010: Side-by-side, British air cadets and Civil Air Patrol cadets from across Florida pitched in recently at America’s second-largest air show.
Twenty British Royal Air Force cadets from England’s Kent and Sussex counties worked the Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport as part of a two-week educational trip. Over the past 15 years, British cadets have volunteered for the show, according to Flight Lt. John F. Wohlgemuth, the cadets’ troop commander.
"We call it the U.S. Aviation Experience Camp,” Wohlgemuth said. "It's a great opportunity for cadets to broaden their horizons and meet people from all over the U.S. and all over the world. The experience is really international."
Wohlgemuth said the cadets weren’t stateside just for fun – they worked hard at the show.
"In the United Kingdom, most people see only one reason to go to Florida, and that's for a vacation, but it's actually quite hard work," he said. "The cadets work from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. all week at the air show, and it's the busiest airport in the U.S. that week."
They worked alongside CAP members to ensure safety and security, marshaling aircraft at the show, as well as see the sights of the fly-in, headlined by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration squadron.
"Our British Air Cadet friends had more excitement than they were looking for, and proved their commitment to safety and helping the show,” said Sun ‘n Fun’s CAP public information officer, 1st Lt. Bill Weiler. "As the warbirds were firing up for the show, a youngster ran under a safety rope directly toward a running aircraft propeller, and the air cadet ran to intercept the youth about 20 feet from potential disaster.”
The cadets also toured Kennedy Space Center in Titusville, MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, and the Oak Ridge Cemetery in Arcadia, Fla., where 23 World War II-era British airmen are buried alongside their American counterparts.
Cadet Josie E. Duffy said she enjoyed the MacDill trip, the second year in a row British cadets have visited the base.
"We got to see more of the base this year than we did last year," said Duffy, who is one of three cadets on the trip who also attended the camp last year. "I'm glad we got to come back; it's great here."
The British cadets got some time to socialize with the CAP cadets at Sun ‘n Fun, as a social was held the night of April 16.
"The Armory got pretty loud Friday evening as about 30 members of the British Air Cadets joined CAP for an ice cream social and get together,” Weiler said. "Gifts were exchanged along with what sounded like singing – or maybe it was just a lot of screaming at the arm wrestling contest. The British desert camo and CAP woodland camo had the room looking like a NATO joint force convention.”
Duffy, a cadet for five years, said she enjoyed her second trip to the U.S.
"The Americans are really nice," she said. "It's really fun meeting all the different people and meeting up again with the other air show volunteers we met last year."
Wohlgemeth said the main goal of the RAF cadet program is for recruiting purposes, getting students interested in joining the RAF operationally.
"Most of my family has been in the Air Force or Army," Cadet Duffy said, "and I plan to [enlist] as well. I like to travel quite a bit. I think it's interesting to see all the different places."
Wohlgemuth said this year's camp has been yet another successful educational experience for both the cadets and the chaperones.
"Every year it seems to evolve," he said. "Every year we meet new contacts, and we certainly plan to continue."
Senior Amn. Anna-Marie Wyant of the 927th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs office at MacDill Air Force Base contributed to this story.