Team Breitmann World Tour: Ohio

In Shelby, we set up "camp" at my Aunt & Uncle's house. Cousin Eddie strikes again!

Hailey enjoys an improvised tree swing at my Uncle's house.

In my Uncle Gary's house, the girls get busy with their school work. Don't forget we have to do school, while on this "adventure" around the country. Some days are a struggle and somedays the gals cooperate. It's like a box of chocolates...ya just don't know what you're gonna get!

Heidi and I take a drive into Shelby so I can get a hair cut. While there, we stop in at Paul's drive in. I used to go here as a kid. Both my mom and my aunt worked here, when they were in high school. At that time this place was called Love's Sweet Shop. Check 'em out at their website: Paul's Drive In

Just outside of Shelby, my uncle Gary took us to his cousin's place...Spring hill fruit farm. The gals enjoy fresh from the tree apples! If you are ever in the area come get your fresh fruit here at Spring hill at 5575 Ganges Five Points Road Shelby, Ohio 44875

Team Breitmann gets an opportunity to see where my military career began...the 179th Airlift Wing. The 179th is an Ohio Air National Guard flying unit located near Shelby at Mansfield Lahm Airport in Mansfield, Ohio. I enlisted in November of 1986 and served as a drill status guardsman (part-time) turbo-prop mechanic until late 1991. I then transferred to the Air Force ROTC program at BGSU. The photo above is of the wing and squadron patches on one of the 179ths aircraft. The 179th has a long history of flying many different aircraft ranging from fighters to cargo aircraft. Check out the history of the 179th here: 179th Airlift Wing

Here I am shaking hands with my best friend from my college ROTC days...Lt Col Stu Killian. Stu is now the 179th Civil Engineering Squadron Commander. He arranged for the tour of the 179th for Team Breitmann and my Aunt and Uncle.

In Lt Col Killian's office, he explains to us the roles and responsibilities of the Civil Engineering Squadron, which he commands.

We get an opportunity to tour one of the 179th Airlift Wing's C-27J aircraft. Heidi poses in the crew door.

The Alenia C-27J Spartan is a medium-sized military transport aircraft. The C-27J is an advanced derivative of Alenia Aeronautica's G.222, with the engines and systems of the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules. It has a top speed of 374 mph and a range of 362 mph. It weighs in at 37,480lbs. You can read more about the C-27J here: C-27J Spartan

Heidi gets a chance to sit in the "front office" of the C-27J Spartan co-pilot's seat. For the aircrew of the 179th, the transition from the C-130H to the C-27J has been full of challenges. For one, flying the C-27J is a much more demanding cockpit than the C-130H, where workload was shared between two pilots, a flight engineer, a navigator and up to two load masters. In the C-27J, there are two pilots and a load master.

Even though the challenges and learning curves were steep for the men and women of the 179th, in true fashion of the "can do" attitude of this renowned Air National Guard unit, they rose to the challenge. Shortly after receipt of these "new" aircraft, the 179th deployed to Afghanistan, where they flew an impressive 98 percent mission success rate! The C-27J filled a crucial gap for resupply missions to forward bases normally resupplied by helicopter. The quick response time and cruise was instrumental in keeping the front line troops supplied with mission essential gear.

My friend Stu, who "owns" the fire department, arranged for use to get a hands on look. Here we get a briefing on the medium sized aircraft fire fighting truck.

One of the 179th fire fighters demonstrates the critical life support equipment each fire fighter must be able to carry and use.

Heidi gets a feel for what it is like to haul around the fire fighters air supply tank! You can't be a couch potato and be a good fire man, that's for sure!