Former ROTC operations officer turns B-52 static display into a classroom at Miramar Air Show

For three days, a B-52 Stratofortress from the 307th Bomb Wing drew crowds at the Miramar Air Show, the nation's largest military air show, Sept. 25-27, as aircrew from the 93rd Bomb Squadron spent hours at the static display answering questions from Southern California attendees. On the final day, the squadron's commander turned the bomber into a classroom for a group he knows well.

Lt. Col. Nate Barnhart, 93rd BS commander, invited cadets from Air Force ROTC Detachment 060 at the University of Southern California, the detachment he previously served as the operations officer of, to tour the aircraft and talk with its crew.

"Although I will always have an affinity for Det 060 because of my time there, the experience gave me a sincere appreciation for teaching and working with cadets," Barnhart said. "It's different from aviators because you're really helping craft young people's lives and careers. And the ultimate reward is seeing them excel in their various careers on active duty."

Teaching is central to Barnhart's current role. The 93rd BS leads the B-52 Formal Training Unit at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, where Reserve instructors work alongside active-duty 2nd Bomb Wing instructor pilots to train the aircrew who will fly the bomber for decades to come. For Barnhart, that mentorship starts well before anyone reaches the schoolhouse.

"The key takeaway is understanding the importance of mentoring future officers before they even enter active duty," he said. "They rely on officers to give them their experience and current information. In turn, you can help in their decision making or, better yet, push certain ones to achieve more than they think they could."

The cadets, who represent a range of career goals, came ready with questions.

Cadet 3rd Class Katya Mendez, who graduates in 2029 and hopes to become a flight nurse, said the visit gave her insight she plans to bring back to campus.

"I got to ask so many questions," Mendez said. "A lot of my job is to be an advocate to our leadership on behalf of my fellow cadets. It was cool to talk to Lieutenant Colonel Barnhart, getting to learn from him on how to improve [our] detachment."

For Cadet 3rd Class Jessica Gonzalez, who aspires to be a fighter pilot, the biggest impression came from the people rather than the aircraft.

"I loved hearing about aircrew culture and how they talk about it," Gonzalez said. "Their teammates are clearly a second family for them, and it's inspiring to see that they still love it after so long. It makes me believe that I could be that passionate about it, too."

Cadet Capt. Tyler Jones, who also plans to pursue a pilot career, said the day renewed his sense of purpose. "It reignites passions for service and flying," Jones said.

Lt. Col. Rene "Fez" Terriquez, who has commanded Det 060 since June 2025 and also serves as department head of Aerospace Studies at USC, said visits to operational units give cadets something the classroom can't.

"Our goal is to connect what they're learning in AFROTC with the operational Air Force," Terriquez said. "Seeing a B-52 up close and talking to the people that fly and maintain them gives them a perspective that simply can't be replicated in the classroom."

He said the value extends well beyond cadets headed for the cockpit.

"Whether they want to be pilots, engineers, intelligence officers, nurses, or something else entirely, experiences like this help them see the bigger picture and understand how they can contribute to the mission," he said. "If they leave more motivated and excited about their future in the Air Force, then we've accomplished our goal."

As the Air Force's only Reserve bomber wing, the 307th BW flies and maintains the B-52 at Barksdale and the B-1 at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, holding both platforms to one standard. Events like the Miramar Air Show put that mission in front of audiences far from either base, and on the final day, in front of the officers who may one day carry it forward.

"I'm really happy I came today," Jones said.

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.