A glimpse into the future for U.S. Air Force Academy cadets Published June 18, 2015 By Senior Airman Erin O'Shea 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- After traveling thousands of miles, seven U.S. Air Force Academy cadets, toured RAF's Lakenheath and Mildenhall in order to gain a better understanding of how the Air Force operates and conducts specific missions on a daily basis. For some of the cadets, it was their first time visiting an overseas Air Force base. "It's exciting to see how things function because you don't really know how a base fully operates until you come and see it," said Nick Blohm, a Sophomore Air Force Academy cadet. "It's fun to come around here because you get more you amped up about your next two years." The tour was led by Capt. Remington Barnes, 100th Operations Support Squadron mission development flight commander. According to Barnes, because the cadets are between their sophomore and junior years, they have not been assigned an Air Force Specialty Code, so being exposed to different units helps them gain a better understanding of what career fields might interest them once they commission. Barnes commissioned through the academy, and knows the importance of these visits. He said each trip he attended while at the academy added to the breadth of his Air Force experience, and helped inform his future decisions when it came time to choose an AFSC. "I wanted to do everything I could to make sure that this year's cadets had a good experience," Barnes added. "I figured the best way to do that was to get directly involved." During their visit, the cadets toured various units, observed static displays and were exposed to how daily mission operations are conducted at an overseas location. They finished their visit with an opportunity to meet with leadership at various levels to ask questions and learn from their Air Force experiences. "I'm glad we have the opportunity to do this," Blohm stated. "It definitely makes an impact. The people we have met are really helpful. A Colonel we just had lunch with is someone I will definitely remember for the rest of my time."