Veterans receive unique opportunity to watch rocket motor test at AEDC

Three Korea War era veterans visited AEDC on April 13, 2016, to watch the live firing of a Minuteman Stage II rocket motor. Butch Welch, ATA outside machinist, helped arrange this unique experience for the group. Pictured left to right are David Dailey, Leonard Ohlsson, Donald Brodes, Butch Welch and Charles Bolick. (U.S. Air Force photo/Deidre Ortiz)

Veterans receive unique opportunity to watch rocket motor test at AEDC

Butch Welch, second from right, outside machinist for the J-6 Large Rocket Motor Test Facility, shows his visitors the infrastructure used in running some of the test facilities at AEDC April 13, 2016. Welch invited the men to the base to see the firing of a Minuteman Stage II rocket motor. Pictured left to right are Donald Brodes, Charles Bolick, Leonard Ohlsson, Butch Welch and David Dailey. (U.S. Air Force photo/Deidre Ortiz)

Veterans receive unique opportunity to watch rocket motor test at AEDC

Published May 9, 2016
By Deidre Ortiz
AEDC/PA

ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, TENN. -- Three Korean War era veterans from the Garden Plaza retirement community in Cleveland, Tenn., had the chance to watch a live firing of the Minuteman Stage II rocket motor from an AEDC control room.
On April 13, Army veterans Donald Brodes and Leonard Ohlsson, and Navy veteran Charles Bolick, were first-time visitors of AEDC.

David Dailey, Garden Plaza's activities coordinator who accompanied the men during the visit, explained they received the invitation to visit from Butch Welch, ATA outside machinist for the J-6 Large Rocket Motor Test Facility and a former employee of Garden Plaza.

"Butch contacted us two months ago and asked if any of the residents might be interested in visiting," he said. "These guys were all for it."

Welch had worked at AEDC for 20 years and then in 2002 moved out of state. When he later returned to Tennessee, he accepted a position as maintenance director at the retirement community and worked there two years before returning to AEDC in May of 2014.

"Having worked there, I know that they're always looking for activities and outings for the residents," Welch said. "Many of the folks at Garden Plaza are veterans, and I thought they would be interested in what we do at AEDC."

The group stated they are grateful for the opportunity and had never experienced anything like it.

"It sure takes a lot of people to work an operation like this," Brodes said.

"The preparation for the test was much more complex that I thought it would be," Ohlsson added. "It's a large culmination of work and then with the test you get to see whether or not it was successful."

Though the test lasted only a minute, it's a moment these gentlemen won't soon forget.

"They really enjoyed it, they thought it was one of the best things they've had a chance to be a part of," Welch said.

Dailey said he hopes to have the opportunity to bring other residents to visit AEDC in the future.

-AEDC-