Operation Gray Eagle unites military people with retirees

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Jim Randall
  • 460th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
Veterans and new recruits seldom move in the same circles. But that has changed here.

The base has started a trial program, Operation Gray Eagle, which unites veterans living in the Denver area with students in the base's airmen leadership school for a session that seeks to pass experience and advice on leadership to the young troops.

"Operation Gray Eagle is designed to help capture historical experiences and advice from retirees and veterans and pass it on to the next generation of military people," said Chaplain (Maj.) George Meister, project manager for the program. "If the trial program here is successful, the Air Force will look at implementing it at other airmen leadership schools."

The veterans met with the base commander before spending hours discussing military life with ALS students.

"It was great to hear about the vets' experiences," said Senior Airman Joseph Pudleiner of the 460th Communications Squadron. "Hearing about what they had to go through gave me more appreciation for their sacrifices."

"The best thing about this program is it allows young people to reach across generations to get a feel for what military life was like in the past," said Joseph LaNier, a Navy munitions handler from January 1944 to February 1946. "I'm glad I could be a part of the program because it allows me to give people advice that will help them become military leaders." (Courtesy of Air Force Space Command News Service)