Selfridge Air Show: Celebrating the Hard Work of the Air Force

Sky divers, wing walkers, stunt pilots, and plane tricks were just a few of the astounding activities at the Selfridge Air Show near Detroit, MI.

The biennial event, which took place at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, brought tens of thousands of attendees. Despite weather concerns, crowds of people witnessed the unimaginable stunts.

Selfridge, the largest and most complex joint Reserves Forces base in the United States, is home to remarkable aircrafts such as the 107th Fighter Squadron A-10 Thunderbolt.

One of the spectators, Wendall Cook, came to the air show to enjoy the planes and the show’s attractions.

"The base is about protecting the United States, it's our national guard," Cook began. "The show is a family thing. There are a lot of inside attractions that we can go and see," he added.

The air show wasn’t only about watching the aircrafts, however. It was also about celebrating the hard work of the men and women in uniform.

One of the members of the Air Force, Technical Sergeant Andrew Amala, feels that the public should learn about the United States Military.

"Celebrating the military in the form of an air show gives the public an option to come out here and see what the money pays for. (Taxpayers) have several avenues where they can see what the money is used for,” Sergeant Amala said.

A portion of taxes paid by taxpayers go toward the United States Military. In fact, according to Business Week, 20% of taxes go to supporting the military.

“Many countries around the world spend money on defense and the public has no idea what it is being used for. (People) should learn about what the money is being paid for. What it does, why do we have it, why do we need it, and why do we spend so much money on it?" Amala added.

The Sergeant, who has always had a desire to join the Air Force, enjoys teaching others about his job.

"I wanted to get involved in the Air Force ever since I was a little kid. I came to air shows with my father and I got into it and I enjoy it," Amala added.

Regardless of the enjoyment people get from watching the shows, stunt pilots put their lives in danger to make people smile. Weather concerns involving wind speeds and severe weather were reported numerous times throughout the day, which increased the danger of the stunts.

One of the wing walkers, Todd Green, performed an extraordinary stunt involving grabbing onto a moving helicopter. After balancing two hundred feet in the air, Green fell in front of more than 75,000 spectators. He died at a local hospital. Green was not the only accident that happened this weekend. Two other fatalities happened throughout the world. During the Kansas City Air Show, stunt pilot Bryan Jensen died in a crash. At a festival in England, a crash happened where British Royal Air Force’s aerobatic team crashed in a field.

Colonel Michael Thomas, the 127th Wing Commander at Selfridge said in a statement to the media, “As airmen, we understand the inherent risks associated with flight, but we aviators are a close-knit family, and when tragedy like this occurs, we all share in the loss.”