IUS students receive trans experience

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Heather Stanton
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Twenty three Incirlik Unit School pre-school students were given a field trip through the 39th Logistics Readiness Squadron's transportation department and the 728th Air Mobility Squadron passenger terminal Feb. 20 to learn how cargo and people are transported from place-to-place.

The pre-schoolers are part of IUS's Sure Start program and have been studying transportation in class.

During this trip, the children witnessed the processes the 39 LRS transportation flight and 728 AMS passenger services use to transport Air Force assets around the globe.

"The students were able to see how cargo is moved using forklifts, pallets and trailers," said Dr. Lisa Starnes, IUS Sure Start teacher. "They were able to see what happens to their luggage when they PCS, the process of their toys being wrapped, packed, and crated."

The students viewed a demonstration of how a 10,000 pound forklift and a tractor-trailer combination vehicle operates to transport their luggage anywhere in the world, said Tech. Sgt. Adrian Rivera, 39 LRS non-commissioned officer in charge of vehicle operations quality assurance personnel.

"With the demonstrations, the children have a better understanding of how the world relies on transportation for more than just the drive to the store or down the highway," said Sergeant Rivera.

After the demonstrations, the students took turns sitting behind the wheel of the tractor and blowing its air horn.

The second part of the field trip took the students to the Incirlik passenger terminal where they went through each step, from arrival to departure, of leaving an overseas terminal via airplane.

Along with learning how the X-ray machine works, the children were given fake passports.

"The teachers made the children fake passports and let choose their own destination," said Tech. Sgt. Mitchell Sorrells, 728 AMS passenger service NCOIC.

The "passengers" were then given children's entertainment packages with games for the flight and passport police were on hand to stamp their passports before departure, giving the children the full PAX terminal experience.

"These children travel at least every two-to-four years and this experience can help them not be afraid of the travel process," said Sergeant Sorrells.

Overall, the children appeared to enjoy the experience, with most of them saying their favorite part was getting up on the tractor and blowing the horn.