When you hear the helicopter blades overhead at New Mexico State University next month, it will signal that the university’s U.S. Air Force ROTC cadets’ career day will soon be underway.
"I plan to take advantage of the variety of experiences so I can not only learn more about careers, but also infer from leadership styles to refine my own method of leading to better the Air Force and the people around me,” said cadet Nicholas Cardona, a junior mechanical engineering major.
“Career day opens the door to shadowing opportunities and conversations about what cadets' futures could look like,” said cadet Tiana Seward, senior aerospace engineering major. “Learning more about the day-in and day-out operations of different jobs is what I hope to take away from this lab.”
At noon Thursday, Oct. 5, two helicopters will land in NMSU’s Pride Field in front of Hadley Hall. One of the helicopters will be a UH-1N, a light-lift utility helicopter, while the other will be a HH-60G, a four-blade, medium-lift utility helicopter.
It is strongly recommended to faculty, staff and students or others who may be on campus between 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Oct. 5 not to park along the Horseshoe area around Pride Field due to dust and grass blown from the helicopter downwash.
The career day is not open to the public. It is offered for AFROTC cadets to learn more about their career options in the Air Force. However, NMSU students and faculty may ask questions of the pilots or take photos of the helicopters between the time they land and the engines are shut off and before the career day leadership laboratory is in progress between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m.
The fair will feature ten tables for cadets to engage with personnel available to provide information and answer questions about various career field areas available in the U.S. Air Force.
“AFROTC Detachment 505 looks forward to welcoming Airmen from the 58 Special Operations wing and 150 Special Operations Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base,” said Lt. Col. Dana Bochte, Commander of NMSU’s AFROTC Detachment 505, “as well as Airmen from Holloman Air Force Base to speak with our cadets about the many active officer career fields.”
Cadets also will have an opportunity to explore inside the helicopters and talk to the pilots and flight crew until they take off again, leaving NMSU at 4 p.m.
“I hope to explore more AFSC career opportunities and see what each of them has to contribute,” said Abraham Montana, a sophomore majoring in criminal justice. “I would also love to hear the thoughts and experiences of those in the career field and get their honest opinion of it and the day-to-day activities they do in their AFSC’s.”
"I hope to learn about all of the different AFSCs in the Air and Space Force (AFSC is the Air Force Specialty code used by the U.S. Air Force to identify a specific job.) I’m also hoping to broaden my perspective of the Air Force by learning about the various roles of Airmen and Guardians in everyday operations of our military,” said cadet Marcus Guzman, sophomore aerospace engineering major.
NMSU AFROTC cadets are excited about the opportunity to get first-hand knowledge from active-duty Air Force personnel.
“Career day allows us to meet and find new careers and jobs that we may find to be our mission,” said cadet Jesus Martinez, a sophomore aerospace engineering major. “The most valuable information I want to learn from career day is the wisdom and experience that you cannot find on paper.”
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CUTLINE: A UH-1N, one of the two helicopters landing on Hadley Pride Field on October 5 at noon and leaving at 4 p.m. (Courtesy photo)