First Quarter of 2022 Welcomes Plenty of Activity for the USAF Airman Heritage Museum
USAF Airman Heritage Museum Leads the Way in Educating Our Community about the Enlisted Airman Experience
Following base and CDC guidelines, the USAF Airman Heritage Museum is fully back in action in 2022 working across the community to educate airmen, families, and the general public about the enlisted airman experience. Here is a synopsis on what the museum has accomplished during the past three months.
January 2022
The museum participated in Air Education Training Command’s (AETC) 80th Anniversary Celebration by displaying historical artifacts and images highlighting eight decades worth of AETC history. The USAF Airman Heritage Museum’s curator, Mr. Fernando Cortez, designed the 80th anniversary logo, which will be used yearlong on anything from decals, letterheads and challenge coins that were given out during the gala. The display theme was Military Training Instructors (MTIs), and the team dismantled the MTI hat display in the museum and reassembled the display at the gala. The Airman Heritage Foundation participated by providing uniforms to historical reenactors who showcased a live historical timeline of the MTI uniform. The big freeze that occurred January 3rd caused a small amount of confusion and a large amount of guests. Weather conditions prohibited graduates from going off base, as well as having an earlier report time. Given the change, the USAF Airman Heritage Museum saw 769 visitors, a number not seen since pre-pandemic. The museum was overwhelmed with visitors, but the staff was more than happy to accommodate as many airmen and their families as they could and enjoyed having a full museum.
February 2022
On February12th, the USAF Airman Heritage Museum hosted the Marketing Assistant for New Creation Christian Fellowship and several members of the church in a historical video. The group used the airpark and museum to film. Bill Manchester, Director of the Airman Heritage Training Complex, attended the AETC Annual Awards banquet as the museum was nominated for a Unit of the Year Award. Sadly, the museum did not win but it was an excellent opportunity to create interest and excitement about the museum. SSgt Alex continues to serve a Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) coordinator for the 737 TRG teaching and assisting basic trainees. On the 22nd, Manchester and Foundation Intern, Alex Musa, attended a dedication ceremony hosted by Veteran’s Affairs at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. Manchester has been an integral part of the group that is bringing to light the events surrounding the Houston Riots of 1917.
March 2022
The USAF Airman Heritage Museum and Foundation will participate in the Air Forces Fiesta Kick Off on March 30th at Hanger 41 on Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph. The museum will display artifacts and images relating to the Air Force’s ties to San Antonio, as well as the heritage of AETC. The museum is using this event as a platform to promote Airmen History and to market the museum and airpark. The museum and Foundation will continue to work with local groups to facilitate the construction of a new museum and learning center on Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. As the weather warms, the museum is seeing an increase in tour requests as well as visitor requests with the calendar quickly filling through this month.
We encourage you to plan your visit to the USAF Airman Heritage Museum and Airpark!
For information on hours of availability and access, visit their website here: Airmen Heritage Training Complex.
