Evans High greets high-flying guests
Visitors to the Evans High School campus get a close look at an Army CH-47D Chinook helicopter during a recent demonstration put on by the U.S. Army National Guard. Soldiers (at left) stand by an inflatable soldier mascot.
Photo by Donnie Fetter
A hulking U.S. Army National Guard helicopter touched down amid snow flurries in a field adjacent to Evans High School's football stadium Thursday morning.
The helicopter, a CH-47D Chinook, flew in from F Company, 131st Aviation Regiment, as part of a demonstration for Evans students and faculty.
Also on display at the demonstration were an Army Hemitt wrecker and two Humvees, one sporting a snazzy paint job.
"We have 116 students enrolled in JROTC and I expect that around 50 percent of them will serve in the military in one form or another," said retired Lt. Col. Patrick Rivette, Evans' Junior ROTC instructor. "Demonstrations like this are a way to motivate them and give them a taste of what's ahead of them should they decide to join the military."
The CH-47D Chinook has a cruising speed of about around 150 mph and transports soldiers and supplies.
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Thursday's demonstration is one of a handful of school demonstrations the helicopter is used in each year.