A Fun Day Out: Maryland Museum of Military History Internship

 A Fun Day Out: Maryland Museum of Military History Internship 

The UH-60 Black Hawk that I rode in!

           Within the past month, the Maryland Museum of Military History has experienced a significant amount of progress in moving our archives from the first floor, which consists of a small room that can barely contain our current collection, to classrooms 2 and 4, located in the basement. While the transformation of these two classrooms is not fully complete, the new archival shelves that were given to our museum by Fort Meade have been built and have started to be used for proper storage. The only things that are missing are the filing cabinets, tables, tiles, desks, and other items that will add to the overall quality of our new archival space. Although the archives have undergone many important updates, this blog post will not provide an in-depth description of these changes. Instead, I will be showcasing the reward my co-workers and I received after we were given an award from the Maryland Military Department.

           On November 5, 2023, the 5th Regiment Armory hosted an event for its employees where they provided food and games, as well as gave their employees awards for their work that supports both the Maryland Military Department and the overall quality of Maryland’s armories. Alongside the recognition of the museum’s progress and work, I, along with five other employees, received the Chief of Staff award from the Maryland Military Department. It recognizes my “significant contributions to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity within the agency.” While there were a few rewards attached to this award such as additional Paid Time Off, the largest and most exciting reward was the participation in the military’s test day for their annual Bosslift Program at an Air National Guard Base. This program was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between service members and their civilian employers. While my co-workers and I may not have participated in the actual event, we served as the National Guard’s practice groups for the actual event that took place the next day. This meant that we followed the program’s schedule and provided feedback on areas where they could improve.

           Our schedule began with a meeting where we listened to opening statements from the Adjutant General (TAG) and watched an instructional safety video that taught us about the proper way to enter and exit a UH-60 Black Hawk. From there, we retrieved our earplugs, because the sound of a helicopter could burst our ear drums, walked to the platform, and entered the helicopter as groups of 5 or 6. After buckling up and waiting a few minutes for the pilot, the UH-60 Black Hawk lifted into the air and allowed me to experience my first helicopter ride! It was exhilarating to see familiar locations like the White Marsh Mall from above and I made sure to take plenty of photos. When my group landed in an empty field, we were escorted to another area where the Army National Guard had set up workshops. We learned about various aspects of the Army National Guard like the the medical field and the weaponry they use, participated in a simulation where we got to shoot fake weapons, and got to ride in an armored military vehicle. I rode in the High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, also known as the Humvee. 

           After learning about the Army National Guard and taking a quick break for lunch, the groups were again divided and guided by a guardsman to workshops that introduced us to the inner workings of the Air National Guard. My group’s first workshop was at the base’s new fire station where they had various tables displaying an array of weaponry and equipment used by the Fire Department, Security Forces, and Emergency Management. It was interesting to learn and see the equipment that they used on a daily basis. Although it’s tough to describe, one of the guardsmen let me throw a camera that was on wheels and control it with the remote! From there, my group was guided to a conference room where we learned about the Cyber Operations Specialists, and then we were taken to the base’s hangar where we got to have a close view of an A10 Thunderbolt and talked to various pilots who fly these enormous jets for a living. It was amazing to see the inner workings of these jets and learn about the care and use that they undergo. Finally, the last workshop my group attended took place in another conference room where we were introduced to the support staff of the Air National Guard and given a brief overview of Family Support, Chaplains Office, Psychological Health, and Yellow Ribbon.

           While my internship with the Maryland Museum of Military History has been full of excitement and fun, nothing can beat this memorable experience where I not only got to interact with various equipment used by the Maryland National Guard but I got to learn about the important role that they play in the state of Maryland.