SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) — Hundreds of high schoolers from across the Concho Valley got the chance to learn more about the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command after taking part in Project Tuskegee at the San Angelo Regional Airport on Wednesday, Oct. 4.

According to the Air Force Global Strike Command, Project Tuskegee is a joint effort between it and Angelo State University to “increase opportunities for various underrepresented groups within local communities and AFROTC cadets to be exposed to opportunities available as an Air Force Global Strike Command Striker.” In doing so, the pair hopes to “increase awareness of educational and career opportunities in the command’s rated and non-rated operations career fields.”

Roughly 465 junior ROTC cadets from Central, Lakeview and other high schools in the region attended the event and learned about opportunities in ASU’s pilot training program and the Air Force from six different stations. Several dozen fifth graders from the STARBASE Goodfellow program were also in attendance.

Air Force pilots from several different bases across Texas flew into Mathis Field for the event. Border Patrol was also present and talked about the Reaper drones used for border security missions.

“We’re trying to expose our high school students to aircraft, to the opportunities they have in the military and just show them what is available and what is out there,” Kimberly Adams, development director of ASU’s Alumni Services, said.

Participants also got a hands-on experience with some of the aircraft on display at the time, with some even being allowed to sit in the cockpit of certain planes.