AMOC students help with Tornado relief efforts in Texas

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jelani Gibson
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  A group of students from the Aircraft Maintenance Officers Course (AMOC) at Sheppard assisted with a disaster relief effort in response to the tornado that ripped through the north Texas area May 15.
 
The relief effort came as a response to a spring storm that spawned at least 13 tornadoes that killed six and damaged more than 100 homes, according to the National Weather Service.
 
The Airmen volunteered with on-going reconstruction and clean-up efforts. "It seemed like the right thing to do," said 2nd Lt. Roman Obolonskiy, a student who was also an emergency medical technician during the northeastern Hurricane Sandy that happened in 2012.

"I was amazed at how well the community came together." Members of the class went as part of a larger volunteer team dedicated to helping victims of the twister. Many saw it as an opportunity to help a community and be a part of something bigger than themselves.
 
"We have to take an active interest in other people's lives," said 2nd Lt. Su Johnson.
 
"The community gives back to us (the military), so it's important we give back to them," said 2nd Lt. Seth Cross. "It's also about taking care of your people."

According to the Airmen, the reactions the class received from those they helped was positive and appeared to reinforce their role there on a much more basic human level.

"If I were in their position, I would want somebody to help me," said 2nd Lt. Randall Garner. "We wanted to provide a sense of normalcy."
 
With the twister having affected many residents' lives, improving the quality of life impacted the volunteers as much as the victims.

"They were appreciative," Johnson said. "Seeing the actual impact we had first-hand is one of the reasons why I like volunteering."

The class saw the effort as a way to do their duty as Airmen, and to take valuable leadership lessons away. As aircraft maintenance officers, this experience will go a long way in their future careers where they are directing flight line operations vital to the Air Force mission.