The ROTC group went on an all paid for field trip last Friday to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. There they got to see the working dogs and the attack dogs in action, held real weaponry and experience the life on a real air base. About 47 ROTC members joined in the field trip that left at 6 am and came back at 4 pm to play games with other members who did not attend.

The working dogs are specially trained canines that are used for bomb disposal, drugs and other things. There were 16 dogs and a show was put on for the ROTC members. Major Niedecker put on a special jacket and one of the dogs attacked him.

“It was fun for the kids,” Master Sergeant Ed Perez said. “They got to see their teacher attacked by a great big dog.”

After the working dogs they went to see the security forces, where all the students were allowed to handle different types of weapons that are used to defend a base. Junior Cadet Captain Ann Maynard said that a lot of cadets got to bond over this trip and grow closer as a flight and group.

“It was a fun trip to go and see things that you don’t usually get to see,” said Maynard. “We got to go up there and meet different people and see all these different kinds of jobs. Also the dogs were really cute.”

Perez wanted to give them some familiarization with the military since ROTC’s curricular is military based. The students, including Maynard, enjoyed talking about the experience, how the air base was like it’s own little city and not a big military building like Maynard had been expecting. Students who are planning to join the military and air force enjoyed the unique opportunity ROTC provided.