An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

48th Fighter Wing celebrates Native American Heritage month

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Rhonda Smith
  • 48th Fighter Wing
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  The 48th Fighter Wing celebrates Native American heritage throughout the month of November recognizing diverse, dedicated, and innovative Airmen, helping to make the Air Force a more inclusive community.

The Diversity and Inclusion committee organized a base-wide knowledge hunt where participants were able to search for hand-crafted totem pole pieces. Five totems were scattered around the base, each standing three feet tall and weighing over 200 pounds.

“We carved each totem piece with hand tools and spent a little over 50 hours to complete them,” said Staff Sgt. Kyle Sinclair, 48th Civil Engineering Unit Deployment Manager and observance month lead.

The knowledge hunt provided Liberty Wing Airmen and their families the opportunity to learn about Native American culture through informational posters about the different tribes and their traditions.

“Working on the totems was an amazing experience that provided a release after a long workday,” said Jim Chase, volunteer of the totem pole building project. “This was a great opportunity for everyone to learn about Native American culture while also having fun.”

The knowledge hunt provided a safe environment for family and friends to bond while adhering to current COVID-19 social distancing measures.

“This was a community event to rejuvenate our Liberty Wing tribe,” said Sinclair. “The 48th Fighter Wing wanted to provide a fun, knowledgeable event that boosted morale in a year that’s been challenging.”