Creating a generation of leaders

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jonathan Stefanko
  • 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Starting a Saturday morning with countless push-ups, military facing movements and running under the hot Texas sun may not sound like a pleasing way to start the day. But for troubled children in the local area, it's an average weekend at boot camp.

Four Dyess Airmen assisted with running Reality Invasion, a free 30-week program that helps children who have disciplinary problems develop into young leaders, led by Paul Huntington.

Senior Airman John Wolfe, 7th Communication Squadron, has volunteered with the program for more than two months. And in that time, he has helped instill military values into the children's lives.

"We make them do push-ups, run drills and teach facing movements. While instilling team-work and how to be motivated all at the same time," Wolfe said.

Deana Cade has been brining her son to the program for more than 10 months.

"My son was having trouble in school and it seemed like everything I would try just didn't work," Cade said. "So I decided that instilling military ideals might be the best way to go."

The program not only provides a reality check but also a way of life.

"It has been a huge success for my son," Cade said. "He's taken pride in his many accomplishments and has decided to become a soldier when he's older."

"We like to see them grow, from when they first come in scared out of their mind to accepting responsibility and leading the groups in exercises themselves," Wolfe said.

Cade said she will continue to bring her son to the program as long as he still wants to, and that she appreciates everything the volunteers have done to help her and her son.

"The instructors wouldn't be here if they didn't care," Cade said. "They want to be part of the community and work with our kids, instilling pride and giving them that sense of accomplishment they long for."

Though most of the children enrolled are volunteered by the parents, it is now being court mandated for repeat juvenile's in Hawley, Texas, to attend.

"We have a lot of kids here who have had rough upbringings," Wolfe said. "Some have hard times in school while others are court ordered to be here, but we want to show them there is more in the world besides getting into trouble."

According to Huntington, he anticipates 100 percent of the camp's participants will make a genuine turn around in their lives to become city leaders and mentors.

"It's a high level to set," Huntington said. "But if you don't set a mark you don't have anything."

Huntington hopes to find a building to house the 110 plus actively enrolled members to continue sessions during bad weather days and in the winter.

"My goal in life is to help mentor and change kids' lives across the United States, and Abilene is my first stop," Huntington said.

For more info or to enroll a child, call Jo Manning at (325) 201-1332 or logon to www.realityinvasion.com.