Air Force falconers delight local kids

Dick Benoit

Thursday, Oct. 5, 2000 | 10:06 a.m.

Two U.S. Air Force Academy mascots and their handlers accompanied the Air Force Academy football team to Las Vegas for Saturday's game at UNLV, but first they made stops at Jim Bridger Middle School and Arturo Cambeiro, Robert Lunt, Walter Bracken and C.C. Ronnow elementary schools.

The falcons, Echo and Vector, have intrigued and delighted audiences across the country. On Friday, handled by Cadets Evan Palmer and Marie Marefat, they provided some educational entertainment for the children. Trained by 12 cadet falconers, the birds soar, dive and sometimes zoom low over the heads of spectators.

The falcon was chosen as the mascot for the Air Force Academy by the cadets in the first class of 1959. The first falcon presented to the academy in 1955 was a peregrine named "Mach 1," the speed of sound. Mach 1 continues to serve as the official mascot name, but each of the 12 to 15 birds kept at the academy receives an individual name from the cadet falconers.

Falconry is one of the extracurricular activities offered to cadets at the academy, but only four cadets are chosen from each entering class to replace four graduating cadets. The 12 falconers learn the sport from upperclassmen under the supervision of the academy's chief of public health, a veterinarian.

Musical Marines

"The President's Own," the U.S. Marine Band, is seeking a public relations specialist with an appreciation for good music. The band, founded in 1798, is the nation's oldest professional music organization. Its primary mission is to provide music for the president and the commandant of the Marine Corps.

The band is seeking someone with experience in music, arts management, public relations, marketing, journalism, graphic design or photography between 18 and 28 years old. Qualified prior-service people can be given age waivers equal to their prior enlisted time in the service.

The person selected for this special and limited duty will be required to enlist in the Marine Corps, but not be required to go to boot camp. The Marine will also be appointed to the rank of staff sergeant with starting pay between $30,400 and $34,800 plus military benefits.

For more information about the position call the band at (202) 433-5810 between 4:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Pacific time.

Community service

Las Vegas High School Army JROTC cadets are distributing books to local convalescent centers and nursing homes as their first community service project of the new school year. Cadets Aston Ridley, Nicole Betsakos, Jared Jensen and Tiet Thai have been distributing the books in cooperation with Jill Leone of the school's English department.

The used books, originally collected for use in the school's sustained silent reading program, are screened by faculty to eliminate those with mature themes not appropriate for high school readers. The cadets then collect and deliver them to the convalescent and nursing facilities, where they can be used by patients and residents.