Every Overland summer is unique, but there are themes shared across each summer. A summer spent with Overland will always leave you with stories – stories about adventure, growth, challenge, and the incredible people you shared your time with. Our leaders are the people who breathe life into each Overland trip and create a community where stories are shared and turn into trip legend. This past summer in Yellowstone, one of our leaders told stories about her work with the Air Force, something that captivated the attention of two of her students.
Described by her co-leaders as a “logistical powerhouse, “the best front-country cook at Overland,” and the “point person for communicating with our students,” first year leader Emma Schmidt left a lasting impression on her co-leaders and students. A student at the University of New Hampshire, she is also a member of the New Hampshire Air National Guard. Her responsibilities include transferring fuel from one aircraft to another in-flight! Naturally, some of Emma’s students were interested in the planes that Emma works on and around.
This fall, Pease Air National Guard Base hosted an Airshow and two of Emma’s students made the drive from Brooklyn, NY to attend the show and see their leader in action! I’ll let Emma speak to what happened next:
“It was a full-circle moment to see them and their excitement to be there. I gave them a tour of the KC-46, the aircraft I fly on as a boom operator. My job involves transferring fuel to other aircraft in-flight by operating a “boom” that connects to the receiving aircraft. The airshow featured numerous military aircraft ground displays and tours, along with many exciting flying performances.
The craziest part was that out of the 60,000 people who attended the airshow that weekend, the boys happened to run into the base commander. They told him they had me as a leader over the summer and explained why they came to the show. He approached me the next day and thanked me for inspiring future generations. It was another immense moment of pride for what I had accomplished over the summer.
The pilot who was on the aircraft while I was giving the tour spoke to [my student]’s mom about Overland. He told me it sounded like an incredible experience and would be looking into sending his children on an Overland trip! Overall, it was an experience that showed the power of an Overland trip.”
It’s a story that speaks to the long lasting connections all members of the Overland community make over the summer. Students, leaders, and former year-round staff members are constantly finding ways to reconnect months (or years!) after their Overland trip (I personally had the pleasure of seeing one of my students from 2021 join us on staff last summer). Whether you join us for a leader community event, at an Overland presentation, for another summer, run into someone from your trip, or drive to your leaders Air National guard airshow, we would love to hear from you! Send an email to us, or give us a call!
