JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- They didn’t come to sell cookies. They came to see action.
Girl Scouts of South West Texas Troop 367 and their mothers witnessed a military working dog demonstration at the 902nd Security Forces Squadron kennel, visited the 902nd Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department, and toured the static aircraft display on Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Aug. 9.
“We have a lot of extended family that were in the Navy,” said Sarah Terry, a troop leader. “I have deep admiration and gratitude for our military for keeping us safe, but people don’t think about it on a daily basis until they go do something like the tour we did.”
Tech. Sgt. Pedro Escobar, 902nd SFS kennel master, put working dogs Sidra and Marco through aid, patrol and detection abilities.
“It’s important to show what we are capable of,” he said. “We are constantly vigilant and patrolling with our MWDs. We are able to stop any adversaries that threaten our installation or the United States.”
Next, the troop arrived at the fire station where the group learned about lifesaving tools firefighters use to extract victims out of entangled vehicles during an emergency.
“This shows everybody what we use and what we do, it gives them more of an understanding and makes them less afraid,” said Staff Sgt. Brandon Cotham, a 902nd CES crew chief.
The crowd cheered as Airman 1st Class Daniel Sanchez raced to don firefighting gear within one minute, to demonstrate how fast they must respond after receiving an emergency call.
When the girls saw the fire station kitchen, one asked “why?”
“We have a kitchen because we are on duty 24 hours a day,” Cotham said.
Terry thought the fire engine was a “big hit.”
“It was so cool to go in the fire engine and see the way they can go into aircraft if the aircraft are ever on fire,” she said.
The tour ended with a walk through the static aircraft display and a request for the troop to return with more girls.
Terry said the girls asked many questions on their ride home.
“They were just amazed that the military did so many different things,” she said.