97 TRS goes on Winter Exodus, stresses safety

  • Published
  • By By Senior Airman Clinton Atkins
  • 97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Airmen, instructors and students alike, will be able to enjoy the holidays abroad or at home during this year's Winter Exodus for almost two weeks beginning Dec. 21.

The Winter Exodus is an Air Education and Training Command-directed downtime period in order to give students and staff alike a break from the rigors of training.

"The basic idea is that instructors get the time off and that enables the students to go home as well," said Lt. Col. Cathy Bartholomew, 97th Training Squadron.

To accommodate the hundreds of holiday travelers, Air Force aircrews from across the United States will fly into Altus to pick up the Airmen.

"We have a flight coming in from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Ala., to drop off Airmen at Fairchild AFB and McChord AFB, Wash.," Said Chief Master Sgt. Kerry Saso, 97th Training Squadron.

Chief Saso also said that there will be flights coming in that will only drop Airmen off at the aircrafts' origins. Currently, aircraft are expected from Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich.; Charleston AFB, S.C. and Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. A flight from Hickam AFB, Hawaii, will pick up Airmen from Tinker AFB, Okla., and return on Jan 2.

Whether travelers are flying or driving, en route or at their final destination, Airmen should always practice operational risk management and uphold Air Force safety standards and the 97 TRS makes sure their Airmen are equipped with the tools to do so.

"We certainly want people to go out and have a good time, but to do it safely," Colonel Bartholomew said.

Before the Winter Exodus commences, the 97 TRS gives eight separate safety briefings to their Airmen. "We also make sure they all have our contact information before they leave," she said.

The 97 TRS currently holds a record of zero travel-related mishaps during Winter Exodus over the past four years and intends to keep it that way.

"It is absolutely important to us that our Airmen return safely," Colonel Bartholomew said. "Safety incidents directly impact our mission in producing world-class aircrew members."

Airmen will resume training on Jan. 3. 

"Everyone here works very hard and the Winter Exodus gives the whole base a chance to relax a little bit," Colonel Bartholomew said. "I hope everyone has a safe holiday break, spends time with their families and returns ready and motivated to complete training."