Airmen provide expertise, medical support at 100th National Boy Scout Jamboree

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jessica Switzer
  • Defense Media Activity - San Antonio
FORT A.P. HILL, Va. --  More than 200 Airmen are here supporting the 100th National Scout Jamboree July 26 through Aug. 4.  Approximately 46,000 Boy Scouts are attending the jamboree from throughout the country.

The Airmen, including several U.S. Air Force Academy cadets, ran merit badge booths, and provided behind-the-scenes support like running a field hospital and supplying weather support, air traffic control for flyovers and safety oversight.

"We've got a huge safety mission here," said Col. Lee-Ann Perkins, the 334th Air Expeditionary Group commander. "There's a lot of stuff out there that could potentially hurt someone so we've got a lot of folks here making sure this is a safe environment for the Scouts. It's a big job with the number of Scouts who are attending the Jamboree."

In addition to behind-the-scenes work, Airmen also worked directly with the Scouts to help them earn merit badges and to teach them about the Air Force in the Armed Forces Adventure Area.

"The adventure area itself is not run by the Boy Scouts," said Lt. Col Barton Schuck, the Armed Forces Adventure Area commander, who is assigned to U.S. Northern Command at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. "It used to be run by the Army, but this year it expanded to encompass all the services. It's a great outreach and community relations program. It gives the Scouts a good idea of what all the armed forces are about."

Representing the Air Force to American citizens is a change from the deployments Airmen often encounter.

"We've got kind of a different mission for most of us here," said Colonel Perkins, who is also the 78th Mission Support Group commander at Robins AFB, Ga. "Usually we're working on humanitarian relief efforts or contingency operations. It's been a lot of fun to do something different."

The 2010 National Scout Jamboree gives Scouts an opportunity to see and experience a variety of military exhibits, history, activities and units, as well as interact with men and women of the armed forces. Coast Guard and military presence at the jamboree emphasizes a commitment to the nation's youth.

"I volunteered to come here because one of the other people from my shop had to back out at the last minute, and I'm really happy I got a chance to participate in this mission," said Airman 1st Class Mark Ostman, a bioenvironmental technician from the 99th Aerospace Medicine Squadron at Nellis AFB, Nev. "I think the Boy Scouts are a great organization and has a great heritage. Military members can learn a lot from the scouts and the scouts can learn a great deal from us as well."