KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Nearly 300 students from 10 South Mississippi high schools filled the fuel cell hangar of Keesler Air Force Base on a field trip to learn about Air Force careers that rely heavily on the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) Sept. 18.
The day of learning began with opening remarks by Col. Frank Amodeo, 403rd Wing commander. As Amodeo stepped away from the microphone, the exercise unfolded – gunshots rang out and a crime scene was uncovered as a fire truck that was blocking the view drove away.
As the Airman acting as the victim laid on the ground, the students began to understand they were witnessing how first responders react to an incident. Witnesses were questioned by the 81st Security Force Squadron and an ambulance was called to take the victim away. One suspect began to flee and was taken down by a Keesler military working dog unit.
“This was so realistic and fun,” said Robert McFarland, a 10th grader from Gulfport High School. “It brought us from the moment a crime happened all the way through the investigation at the scene. We got to see how everyone did their job and how important it is that they do a good job.”
After the drama played out, students were divided into small groups of honorary forensics investigators and were shown what happens with all the evidence collected at the crime.
“My favorite station was the computer forensics section; we went through old emails between the victim and suspect and could place a motive to the crime with the information in the computer,” said Bailey Brown, an 11th grader from Vancleave High School.
Students were tasked with collecting accurate fingerprints, making plaster impressions of the suspect’s shoes and analyzing the blood with the 81st Medical Group’s hematology department and medical laboratory.
“This station shows the students how things like footprints are used as future evidence,” said Special Agent Kristy Noah, Air Force Office of Special Investigation Detachment 407.
After the small group activities, the students engaged in a “Brainiac” competition where teams were tasked with using their intellect to figure out numerical and puzzle problems.
Gulfport High School won first place, Ocean Springs High School won second place and West Harrison High School took home third place.
This is the second consecutive year Keesler Air Force Base has been funded to host a STEM day, according to Gerry Cross, the 81st Training Wing education liaison.
“We matched the activities for today with the curriculum being taught at local high schools. We tried to make it exciting, engaging and fun,” said Cross.
The support to South Mississippi students is part of a nation-wide effort by the Air Force to encourage children’s academic studies in the STEM categories.
According to a report released by the Air Force STEM Outreach Coordination office, 40 percent of STEM Air Force civilians are over 50 years old. Continuous recruiting of STEM students is vital to U.S. security strategies.
Air Force national leadership has encouraged the importance of scientific exploration and innovation in the Air Force rank and file. The Air Force conducts more than 150 STEM outreach events per year where local, state and federal STEM events are leveraged to reach 100,000 students and teachers per year. The Air Force also spends more than $40 million on STEM outreach and the Community College of the Air Force has awarded more than 335,000 applied science degrees. Since 1956, the Air Force Institute of Technology has awarded 16,350 STEM graduate degrees.
“Innovation is what we’re all about. We always have been – technology, great people, an important mission, and a focus that nobody else brings to the game” said Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, Chief of Staff of the Air Force during the Air Force Association’s Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition Sept. 18, 2012.