Wing hosts child as pilot-for-a-day

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman C.J. Hatch
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Luke Air Force Base and the 308th Fighter Squadron welcomed 10-year-old Joel "Burner" Cedillo as an honorary pilot-for-a-day July 16.

Joel arrived on base with his mother, Shirley, and sister, Josephina. He was selected as pilot-for-a-day through the Phoenix Children's Hospital. Joel does not have full strength on the left side of his body and used to wear a leg brace in order to walk.

Joel and his family were greeted by Lt. Col. Jeffrey Jenssen, 308th Fighter Squadron commander, when they arrived at the squadron building. Joel was presented with his own flight suit along with his own name tag and squadron patch.

All suited up, Joel went to the 56th Fighter Wing headquarters to meet with Lt. Col. Jack Maixner, 56th FW special assistant to commander. Colonel Maixner gave Joel his first coin of the day and explained the history of the military coin.

Joel and family returned to the 308th to receive a tour of the squadron and learn what pilots do when they'er not flying. They also learned what it takes for a pilot to prepare for a flight. They got a pre-departure briefing and then went to the flightline.

When the family reached the flightline they were greeted by crew chiefs and taken to a jet prepared with Joel's name. While at the jet, Joel was able to go through preflight checks and learn what the crew chiefs do to keep jets in the air.

Flying isn't the only thing done here at Luke the family learned. There are many aspects of the base one of those being security. Joel and family received a demonstration by the military working dogs to show their capabilities.

Joel being a video game fan was excited when he heard he was going to play a giant F-16 flight simulator as they left the working dogs.

"Joel really enjoyed the simulator," said Capt. Seth Jordan, 308th FS A flight commander. "He loves video games and it was basically a giant video game with him sitting in the middle of the screens and he was able to fight his sister and her boyfriend."

Joel rounded up his day with a visit to the air traffic control tower where he watched F-16s being launched and recovered.

The family went back to the 308th for a final farewell from the squadron and to receive a few gifts for Joel to remember his experience.

"I felt great about the visit," Captain Jordan said. "It was a very rewarding experience because Joel was able to experience something that he had never known about previously. He wasn't too familiar with the military and in one day he got to see a wide spectrum of what the military does, from being a fighter pilot or aircraft maintainer, to working in the military police K-9 unit or air traffic control tower."