CAP members visit 15th Operational Weather Squadron Published Jan. 15, 2014 By CAP Capt. Greg Hoffeditz CAP Scott Composite Squadron Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Cadets and seniors from the Scott Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol visited the 15th Operational Weather Squadron at Scott AFB during December. Tech. Sgt. Eric Burgher and 2nd Lt. Ben Schink briefed the CAP visitors on the Air Force's weather mission and the training required for the career field. Weather specialists from all branches of the military, with the exception of the Army (the Air Force handles the Army's weather needs) learn their trade during an intensive eight-month course at Keesler AFB, Mississippi--home of the specially-equipped C-130 Hurricane Hunters that are flown directly into tropical storms. After technical school, Airmen are sent to one of four Air Force weather hubs in the continental United States for several months of on-the-job training before they are assigned to an operational detachment in support of missions around the world. Scott AFB hosts one of those training hubs, making it an ideal place for local CAP members to learn about military meteorology. The 15th OWS is responsible for all weather observations, forecasting and aircrew briefings for the upper midwest and eastern portions of the United States, as well as for presidential support and the east coast air defense system. Before taking the visitors into the hub's operation center, Burgher provided an up-close look at a TMQ 53 Tactical Meteorology Observation System used out in the field to collect up-to-the-minute, on site, meteorological data. Inside the center, cadets and seniors observed the multitude of weather systems being tracked in the 15th OWS' realm in order to keep aircrews and ground personnel up-to-date and safe. They also spoke with the nearly two dozen Airmen and noncommissioned officers on duty about their mission. "The tour of the weather squadron was interesting and informative," said Cadet Sara Jacobs, who recently joined Civil Air Patrol with her dad, Army Chaplain (Maj.) Mark Jacobs. "I enjoyed getting to see the different people doing their jobs and learning a little bit about their jobs." Chaplain Jacobs added, "It was neat to learn how they gathered information and put out alerts to a large part of our nation's military flyers."