Airmen brief Duke of Cambridge about mentor program

  • Published
  • By Capt. Brian Maguire
  • 501st Combat Support Wing Public Affairs
CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom --  Five Airmen from the 501st Combat Support Wing briefed the Duke of Cambridge about a mentoring program established at The Manor School in Cambridge here Nov. 28.

Working with their honorary commander, the Airmen from the 423rd Security Forces Squadron built a program where they mentor students at the school once a week.

"This is thanks to the Honorary Commander program," said Maj. Erik Dutkiewicz, 423rd SFS commander. "Julie [Spence, former Chief Constable of Cambridgeshire and 423rd SFS honorary commander] is a patron of the school and approached us to see if the squadron was interested in running a mentoring program. We wanted to have the Airmen come and work with the students since they have similar backgrounds, similar goals and similar stories."

The Airmen have just started their second year of mentoring at the school, and are working with students in Year nine, rather than the Year 11 students they worked with last year. One Airman has already seen a difference in working with younger students.

"We can have more of an impact with the younger children, who are more in tune, more ready and eager to participate," said Master Sgt. Cleophus Gallon. "Getting to them at an earlier age gives us more of a chance to impact them as they're still growing into who they're going to be."

The Airmen will also help the students put together a project of the students' choosing, in addition to offering different perspectives and encouragement, as well as potentially meeting with American students from RAF Alconbury Middle/High School.

While working with the students is fulfilling, the Airmen also get the opportunity to learn from the British students.

"It makes me feel like I'm really helping the children and to be a bigger part in their lives," said Airman 1st Class Jonathan Gregg. "We also get to learn about and experience their culture, while teaching them about ours."

While getting to meet the second in line to the British Throne was an honor and a once in a lifetime experience, these Airmen are focused on how they can help the students.

"It is all about getting to talk to the children, showing them the options that are out there, and that they can succeed in anything they try," said Master Sgt. Stacie White.