An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Captain shares special day with neighbors Pilot for a Day returns to Scott

  • Published
  • By Monte Miller
  • 375th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  After a two-year absence, the Pilot for a Day program landed at Scott Air Force Base last week and gave one special little girl the thrill of a lifetime.

Ten-year-old Emily Berry and her family were the guests of honor of several base agencies last Friday as part of the program spearheaded by the 458th Airlift Squadron.

"The program is capable of going to any base in the Air Force," said Capt. Shawn Mosher, 458th Airlift Squadron pilot. "It is hard to keep running. It takes a lot of work. It isn't something you can do in a day. It takes about 40 or 50 hours over the course of a month to plan one of these."

Captain Mosher explained planning for the Pilot for a Day program is very labor intensive and is done completely on a volunteer basis. He added more than 10 base agencies took part in the program last week.

Emily was selected to be the Pilot for the Day through a nomination from Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital in St. Louis, where she has been undergoing treatment for a brain tumor.

"We work with Cardinal Glennon and St. Louis Children's hospitals to select children for this," Captain Mosher said. "They evaluate the children's conditions and make their recommendations. The activities we plan are based on the child's energy level and the cooperation we receive."

The unique twist that makes Emily's day extra special is that is was organized by her next door neighbor in O'Fallon, Ill., 458th pilot Capt. Gina Stramaglio.

"This is an unbelievable coincidence," Captain Stramaglio said. "I see them everyday and I've become very close to them. I wanted to make this an extra special day for Emily."

This is the first Pilot for a Day that Captain Stramaglio has organized and it has inspired her to do more in the next few months before her deployment, while juggling the very busy schedule of the 458th Airlift Squadron, flying about five missions daily.

"It needs to be done for the community," she said. "Although we are very busy, this is equally important to let these kids have a day like this."

Emily's day started at 8 a.m. when she was picked up at the Shiloh Gate by Security Forces in a HUMMVEE and was first escorted to Base Operations to change into her flight suit before her Wings of Hope flight in a Cessna.
The Berry's, then toured Base Operations and Weather before another HUMMVEE ride to the Air Control Tower, then to Hangar 3 for a quick taxi ride in a C-21 by the 458th Airlift Squadron.

At the end of her taxi ride, she was greeted by Scott firefighters, who hosed down the plane and gave her a ride in their firetruck.

Lt. Gen. Terry Gabreski, Air Force Materiel Command vice commander, who delayed her scheduled departure from Scott to meet Emily, gave her a coin.

After a lunch stop at the Air Mobility Command Match Up picnic, the Berry's toured C-9, C-40 and KC-135 aircraft before a demonstration by the Security Forces Military Working Dogs and a gun range simulation.

"The base agencies were beyond amazing," Captain Stramaglio said. "I'm so grateful to everyone for working with us. It has never been done at this level before and it took a small army to do it. They have all gone way above and beyond. I can't believe what these guys have done today. You can't put a price on it."

In January, Emily was diagnosed with a pediatric low-grade astrocytoma brain tumor in her left thalamus that was at the time considered inoperable. She underwent 10 weeks of chemotherapy that failed in thwarting the tumor's growth.

Emily's mom, Cory Berry, explained the tumor has been found to be benign, but it is still growing and is beginning to cause some paralysis in her arm and mildly in her legs, which may affect her ability to walk soon.

Some good news came for Mrs. Berry and her husband Kevin when they recently visited St. Jude's Children's Research Center in Memphis Tenn., where they found a doctor that feels he may be able to successfully remove the tumor.

Mrs. Berry said that her family's relationship to Captain Stramaglio is very special and she is grateful to her neighbor for everything she does for Emily.

"Gina is very special to Emily," Mrs. Berry said referring her daughter's relationship with Captain Stramaglio. "These guys have gone above and beyond anything we could have ever imagined. She has had so many opportunities to see things today."

Emily's diagnosis is the most common for children her age, but research toward a cure is underfunded.



To remedy this, Emily, with the help of her family have started a research fund and have a goal of raising $1 million to help kids just like her. To this point, the family has raised just under $5,500 toward their goal.

Emily has named her tumor Delores and the new Berry Family Motto is "Delores must go!"

For more information on Delores, Emily and her family, log on to www.colorforacure.org.