Approximately 80 percent of Air Force officers come from Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs like the one offered here at the University of Georgia. However, ROTC isn’t just about learning to be a leader in the United States Air Force. It offers many opportunities for students outside of corps activities. The UGA Air Force ROTC program, known as Detachment 160, supports the national service organization Arnold Air Society (AAS). The Arnold Air Society Manual (AASMAN-1) defines AAS as a professional, honorary, and service organization.
“Arnold Air Society is honorary because membership is not given to you,” Mitch Dyke, a junior at UGA and a member of AAS, said. “It’s something you earn. It’s a challenge. It’s for that reason that our members are dedicated.”
“When you make a commitment to AAS through something as time consuming and challenging as Candidate Class, you become invested in the people, the program, and the mission. Arnold Air Society becomes a part you.” Justin Leachman, the AAS Commander at Detachment 160, believes the honorary aspect goes further by respecting and recognizing Air Force members outside of the program.
The UGA detachment’s squadron is named in honor of an Air Force pilot, Roger E. Kindig, whose plane crashed in Gainesville, Georgia in 1953 and resulted in Kindig’s tragic death. The organization also invests a large proportion of their time on professional development. This often includes inviting guest speakers to discuss lessons learned from their career. Cadets even practice writing and briefing skills.
“Our members realize we’re representing something bigger than ourselves,” Dyke said. “We have to be polished because we’re the only direct contact many people will ever have with the U.S. Air Force.”
The society mainly focuses on being a service organization and giving back to the Athens and UGA community.
Cadet Leachman joined AAS because he thought it would make him a better cadet, but soon learned that service events were the most rewarding part of AAS. The Roger E. Kindig Squadron has participated in highway clean-ups, cooked at the homeless shelter in Athens, contributed to canned food drives, organized blood drives, raised money for Relay for Life, and helped teach math and science to Athens Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs.
“I really enjoyed building water-propelled rockets at the Boys’ and Girls’ Club,” Dyke said. “The kids were so excited to get involved and make something of their own. Their eyes would light up when they saw their creation take off.”
Cadet Leachman wants the UGA community to see the program as a major service organization on campus.
“We are a good, solid, non-profit organization with motivated and dedicated young cadets who also enjoy providing community service,” Leachman said. The squadron aims to increase their finances in order to extend their reach further into the community.
“I would like to see Arnold Air Society become one of the staple service organizations on campus,” Dyke said. “I want our name to become synonymous with service. If we get our name out there, we can show people how professional and polished the Air Force and its members really are.”
“Arnold Air Society wants to connect with you, so we hope you take notice of us. We want to serve the community, we want to help you, and we want to show you what the Air Force is all about.”
The Roger E. Kindig squadron most recently worked on their Relay for Life fundraiser, and is preparing to be the new Area III Headquarters for the society next year.
For more information visit their website at www.uga.edu/aas.