An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

171 ARW Hosts Memorable All-Star Leadership Day for Local High School Students

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Zoe M. Wockenfuss
  • 171 Air Refueling Wing
CORAOPOLIS, Pa. --  Over 500 students and more than 50 chaperones from 33 high schools from Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania attended the U.S. Air Force’s All-Star Leadership Day Nov. 6, 2024, at the 171st Air Refueling Wing near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This unique event was designed to offer hands-on leadership training and career exploration in an interactive military setting.

The All-Star Leadership Day brought together student leaders such as sports captains, club officers, and student council members, alongside counselors, teachers, and coaches. Participants had the chance to engage in a variety of activities, including teamwork exercises, leadership challenges, and interactive career exploration sessions.

Recruiters from Active Duty, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard as well as U.S. Air Force Academy were all in attendance along with representatives from two local Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps detachments.
Students also toured Air Force aircraft, including two KC-135 Stratotankers from the 171st Air Refueling Wing in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, a C-17 Globemaster III from the 911th Airlift Wing in the Air Force Reserve, and an F-16D Fighting Falcon from the 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw Air Force Base, an active duty Air Force base.

Students had the opportunity to learn from the “Steel Airmen” about the work and dedication involved in serving in the Air Force. The day featured a F-16 low pass fly-over, giving students and educators a firsthand look at one of the Air Force’s capabilities in action.

For a well-rounded career exploration, numerous vendors and tables were set up, creating a unique career-day environment for students to explore options within the Air Force and beyond. Organizers noted that the scope and scale of this total-force recruiting event had never been executed in this way before, making it a one-of-a-kind experience.

“I want our goal to be to shatter the narrative of what this generation thinks about the Air Force,” said Kristi Hilbert, HQE Senior Strategic Media Advisor for Total Force Accessions. “These kids see our airplanes flying over their heads everyday, I want them to understand why we're here, and I want them to understand that they can be a part of it.”