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Boy Scouts Tour Base Fire Department

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Wes Jones
  • 117th Air Refueling Wing
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --  Boy Scouts from two different Alabama troops visited the 117th Air Refueling Wing's Fire Department here as a part of earning their Aviation Merit Badge yesterday.

Troop 160, Oneonta, Ala., and Troop 97, Remlap, Ala., toured the fire department and learned about the equipment used by fire fighters. The Scouts also learned what it meant to be a fire fighter on a base and at an airport.

Tech. Sgt. Robert Crawford, a 117 ARW fire fighter, led the tour. Scout Master Mike Buckelew and Assistant Scout Master Bruce Clayton coordinated the visit.

"Our goal is about getting these kids ready for life," said Clayton. "And any time there's an opportunity to better their lives and teach them tools to use in life; we are going to take advantage of it."

(Ret.) Brig. Gen. Charles A. Machemehl also worked with senior leaders at the 117 ARW in coordinating the trip which began at the Birmingham Air and Space Museum.

Machemehl served as a civil engineer at the 117 ARW for 10 years before he was assigned to the State Staff division at Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Ala. He served 31 years in the Air Force, Air Force Reserves and in the Air National Guard.