Junior officer gives birds-eye view of symposium

Published Jan. 20, 2010
By 1st Lt. Joost Verduyn
Keesler Public Affairs

KEESLER AFB, Ms. -- Editor's note: Lieutenant Verduyn, one of 160 Keesler and 2nd Air Force representatives at the Air Education and Training Command Symposium, offers a personal view of last week's event.

When I first arrived in San Antonio for the Air Education and Training Command Symposium, I didn't know what to expect. All that I had heard up to that point was that I was going to have a good time.

Now that I'm back, let me tell you that the AETC Symposium is something worth attending. There were amazing speakers and topics with a little something for everyone.

I left Keesler Jan. 13 on a C-17 Globemaster from Altus Air Force Base, Okla. This isn't a bad way to fly -- pretty much just like an airliner. After landing at Kelly Field and a short bus trip to our hotel, it was time to check in. Here's a little advice for you -- get on the bus that gets there first and sit near the front. No one thought to give me this advice, so I waited for more than 100 other people to check in.

Jan. 14, I headed to the symposium with my schedule and registration, but I still wasn't sure what to expect.There was a lot to see in the huge exhibit hall. There was a Huey and a display Thunder-bird. I tried my hand at surgery using a machine that lets you control little metal pincers. I looked at displays for turbine engines and the T-50. It was an impressive place with a lot to experience, and they served a great breakfast.

After a welcome speech by Gen. Stephen Lorenz, AETC commander, I attended my first seminar. These great presentations were the heart and soul of the symposium. There were so many options that I wish there had been another day for me to be able to hit more of them.

I learned about the future of remote piloted aircraft and social networking in the Air Force. I took another seminar on the different reasons insurgencies win or lose. This seminar made participants ask themselves, "What can I do to help?"

Some of the more thought-provoking seminars were panels from people who had "been there." One called History's Warriors featured two retired Airmen and one active-duty Airman with up-close experiences from World War II, Vietnam and today's conflicts.

The most sought-after seminar was probably the Medal of Honor recipients panel with four surviving Medal of Honor recipients. It was an honor to have these Air Force heroes among us.

Another person I heard was our 2nd Air Force commander, Maj. Gen. Mary Kay Hertog. I had the opportunity to hear her on a general officers panel and again during a speech that she found out she had to give at the last second. She talked about her past and the future of our Air Force. If you get the chance, listen to her talk. You will come away with a better sense about what you offer to this Air Force.

The AETC Symposium was a great experience. I would recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity able to go. Plus, spending your evenings on San Antonio's Riverwalk is a pretty good perk, too.