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"Pathways to Blue" highlights AF strategic diversity program at Keesler

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Holly Mansfield
  • 81st Training Wing Public Affairs
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  Focused leadership attention continued on the Air Force's Diversity Strategic Program as it turned towards Keesler April 17-18  when  about 100 Air Force ROTC cadets from five area universities visited the base  for "Pathways to Blue," a diversity outreach program hosted by 2nd Air Force.

"During Pathways to Blue, the cadets were able to visit with mentors from different career fields, ranging from medical personnel to battlefield Airmen," said Maj. Gen. Mark Brown, 2nd Air Force commander. "This event allowed the cadets to ask questions and see different jobs within the Air Force that they might not have known about."

The cadets representing Jackson State, Louisiana State, Tulane, Troy and Tuskegee Universities received hands-on briefings on technical and flying operations, as well as orientation flights in support of the Air Force's Diversity Strategic Roadmap program. The main goal of the outreach event was to attract and recruit high-quality, talented, diverse individuals for Air Force careers. The Air Force Diversity Strategic Roadmap is an action plan for the Air Force that directly supports the diversity objectives of the 2011 Presidential Executive Order and provides guidance to enhance the diversity of the United States Air Force to track progress and success. Additionally, the roadmap frames involvement of the Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff of the Air Force, as the owners of the plan, as well as Assistant Secretaries; Deputy Chiefs of Staff; the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force; Director, Air National Guard; United States Air Force Academy Superintendent; Major Command Commanders; Forward Operation Agency and Direct Reporting Unit commanders and superintendents, all of whom are essential for sustainment and accountability.

"If you can succeed at building teams where you bring in diverse thinking from people of different backgrounds than you, you will be undefeated on the battlefield because you will innovate more rapidly than your adversaries," said Lt. Gen. Steven L. Kwast, Air University commander and president, who spoke to the cadets via video teleconference. "At the root of diversity is victory in battle."

The schedule included orientation sessions in operations and support areas such as cyber, medical programs and aircrew flight operations. Special focus was placed on careers that emphasize the STEM specialties - science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Other briefings highlighted Battlefield Airmen, the Air Force's special operations careers including combat controllers, pararescuemen, tactical air control party members and special operations weather technicians.

The visit also included T-6 Texan II and T-1 Jayhawk static displays, a C-130J Super Hercules orientation flight with the 403rd Wing, as well as an HC-130J static display and CV-22 Osprey and HH-60 Pave Hawk orientation flights with the 58th Special Operations Wing, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.





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