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Global Strike Command shows Air Force flag at NYC Fleet Week

  • Published
  • By Carla Pampe
  • Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs
MANHATTAN, N.Y. --  Four members of Air Force Global Strike Command represented the Air Force and its newest major command during the Big Apple's annual Fleet Week celebration, which continued through the Memorial Day weekend.

The event was based at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum located at Pier 86 along the Hudson River on Midtown Manhattan's west side. While Fleet Week traditionally showcases the U.S. Navy, it also allows the public an opportunity to interact with members of all of the uniformed military services.

"It was wonderful to come here since I grew up going to Fleet Week as a kid," said Capt. David Londono, an intelligence officer with AFGSC headquarters who hails from nearby New Jersey. "Fleet Week had a direct impact on my decision to enlist in the Air Force."

While the Global Strike Command display and handouts focused on educating the public about the command's mission, the event also provided an opportunity to answer basic questions about the Air Force and recruiting, as the majority of the people who walked up had little or no experience with the military.

Maj. Thomas Stayer, a B-52 pilot working in the operations and training division at AFGSC, said team members talked to a lot of young people interested in joining the military, and he saw it as a great opportunity to educate them on what the Air Force has to offer.

"I felt it was important for the Air Force to have a presence at Fleet Week to show the Air Force colors alongside its sister services and to highlight the capabilities the service brings to bear," he said. "It brought a smile to the veterans, and inspiration to tomorrow's Airmen. For those currently enrolled in high school or college, perhaps what they learned from us will motivate them toward a career in the Air Force."

It wasn't just high school and college students who were interested in joining the military, either, said Col. Annette Foster, AFGSC Deputy Director of Intelligence.

"A lot of people we talked to were prior service who had questions about coming back in, or what the age limits were for joining, and what their choices were," she said. "You really cover the spectrum at an event like this. So we did our best to point these young people in the right direction."

For Captain Londono, the opportunity to share the AFGSC mission was exciting.

"It was wonderful to be able to interact with the public and introduce them to Global Strike Command," he said. "Considering that few New Yorkers have much interaction with the Air Force because there are no bases nearby, it was an honor to represent our Service."

Colonel Foster noted another benefit for those who were familiar with the nuclear heritage and mission of the Air Force. Those visitors were brought up to date on what the Air Force has done to strengthen the nuclear enterprise.

"For the more knowledgeable folks we talked to, we got the chance to let them know that we now have a command dedicated to providing safe, secure and effective forces for nuclear deterrence and global strike operations," she said. "It was good for them to learn that the Air Force has put the nuclear-capable bombers and the intercontinental ballistic missiles under a single command focused solely on this critical mission."

During the four-day event, the team talked with thousands of people, handed out information, posed for photos, and even signed autographs for children.

"For me, honestly, it was probably the kids that I enjoyed the most," said Major Stayer. "It was also fun, yet humbling, to be among fellow servicemembers participating in Fleet Week."

This year more than 40,000 people visited the Intrepid museum, which is a retired aircraft carrier (USS Intrepid CVS-11) and national historic landmark permanently docked since 1982 in New York City. The museum acts as a monument to all who have served the nation in uniform. It houses static aircraft displays, military exhibits and an educational center.