Brothers with Cystic Fibrosis become pilots for a day Published June 6, 2013 By Senior Airman Jake Eckhardt 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Aspiring Air Force pilots must be in perfect health, but two brothers with a permanent illness bypassed the qualification process and became pilots for a day. Clayton, 18, and Zachary Reece, 15, were born with Cystic Fibrosis, which resulted in frequent lung infections that are treated with antibiotics and other medications, became pilots for a day May 31, through the Pilot for a Day program. This program brings chronically ill children to the base for a tour, as well as a chance to ride in one of the Wings of Hope aircraft. "I think this program is great," said 1st Lt. Braden Eagar, 458th Airlift Squadron executive officer and organizer of the brothers' visit. "It gives an opportunity to those who are sick to have an awesome experience." The Reece family started their day at the Visitor Control Center where they were picked up in Humvees at 7:30 a.m. The brothers then suited up in their own flight suits and flow in the KC-135 in the KC135 simulator. The tour continued with a visit to Combat Arms Training and Maintenance and the 375th Security Forces military working dogs kennels where they got a demonstration of what the military dogs are used for. The family was then treated for lunch at the Scott Club before heading over to Hangar 1 to be taxied down the runway in a C-21 and "saved" by the 375th Civil Engineer Squadron firedepartment firefighters. The Wings of Hope program pilots concluded the tour for the family by flying them south, up the Mississippi River near the Arch then back to Scott in a Piper P-31. "My heart goes out to anyone with a sick child, and anything we can do to ease their stress is great," Eagar said. Even after the hours of daily treatments, procedures and the constant fight to breathe, the brothers still remain positive. Clayton said, "We can't exactly keep up with the other kids, and it gets hard to breathe, but other than that there isn't a whole lot that can stop us." Lauren and Nancy, the brother's parents, said their success with dealing with the illness is from leading a normal life and forgetting that genetic disease affects their children whenever possible. The Pilot for a Day program is Team Scotts way to help. Lauren, father of the boys, said, "We are very impressed with the quality and the character of everyone we have met today. Everyone should see what everyone here does."