AFMC Command News

Aeronautical Systems Center Palace Acquire intern continues

  • Published
  • By Laura McGowan
  • Aeronautical Systems Center Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFMCNS) --  While many people not directly affected by Hurricane Katrina busy themselves with holiday preparations, Robert Stewart, a Palace Acquire intern with Aeronautical Systems Center's C-17 Systems Group, spent his Thanksgiving holiday removing debris from yards in Pass Christian, Miss. The trip was his second to one of the hardest hit cities on the Gulf Coast. Stewart is a part-time graduate student at the University of Dayton, and he said he responded to an e-mail in early October from the Center for Social Concern, seeking students to help with hurricane relief.

The first trip was Oct. 7, when about 50 students and UD staff members, including UD President Dr. Daniel Curran, went to Mississippi to help with clean-up.

"Each morning we left the Dedeaux Center in Pass Christian and drove 20 miles by bus to Biloxi," said Mr. Stewart.

"The majority of our work was cleaning and gutting homes, because they were full of sand, mud and water."

Mr. Stewart said there were other services and organizations participating in the clean-up effort.

"I had the pleasure of helping to clean the home of Maj. Ilos Ducksworth, a combat engineer in the Army National Guard and a full-time Department of Defense civilian at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.

"Major Ducksworth's engineering unit was activated to Gulfport, Miss. right before Katrina hit the coast and until Oct. 15, and he and other members of his unit were unable to check on their own homes for about two months after the storm. This trip was the first time he was able to clean it out with help of the members of this relief team," Mr. Stewart said.

"He had just built his home and, due to the storm, lost everything. There were only the gutted remains left from an earlier clean-up crew. They were able to salvage some of his awards, plaques and his Bronze Star, however."

The UD relief group cleaned up debris from churches, homes, trailers and yards. They wore masks to help keep them safe from the stench and airborne particles.

Mr. Stewart's wife, Lisa, was able to accompany him on the trip.

"We can't think of a better way to have spent our Thanksgiving, helping out the victims of this catastrophe," he said. "We were honored to spend it with the people of Biloxi."

The couple won't be able to travel on the December relief trip, but hope to go back in the spring.

Mr. Stewart began his internship in January 2004 and is currently in his second rotation as an Integrated Logistics Support Manager in the mission systems integrated product team in the C-17 Systems Group. In this role, he helps to determine and meet support equipment, technical order, spares and training requirements for field units. He will start his last rotation in March 2006 at the Air Force Security Assistance Center.