FREDERIKSTED — The Virgin Islands Port Authority’s rescue firefighters at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport in St. Croix performed a water salute Wednesday to welcome home U.S. Air Force Captain Orchydia Sackey.
The 27-year-old native of St. Croix and graduate of the St. Croix Educational Complex High School arrived at HERA Wednesday as part of the MacDill Air Force Base, 6th Air Refueling Wing. She flew a KC-135 Stratotanker from MacDill AFB to St. Croix.
The KC-135 Aircraft will be on St. Croix from September 6-8, 2023, for youth engagement efforts. Captain Sackey is passionate about sharing her journey with students to allow them to reframe perspectives about career opportunities.
VIPA’s airport operations staff at HERA will assist in providing escorts to allow students to tour the aircraft. VIPA Executive Director Carlton Dowe said, “VIPA joins the territory in welcoming and celebrating the arrival of U.S. Air Force Captain Sackey. She is an inspiration to our young, aspiring aviators in this territory and proves that the sky truly is the limit. We welcome the schools to use this opportunity to expose our youngsters to the military aircraft and plant seeds of interest in the field of aviation.”
Captain Sackey is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), nominated by former USVI Congresswoman Donna M. Christian. The USAFA is one of the three U.S. service academies that is operated by the Department of Defense and is one of the top universities in the country. Admission into USAFA is a highly selective process that gauges candidates’ performance in academics and athletics, as well as their character and leadership abilities.
Kudos and Bravo Zulu Captain Sackey. Thank ypu for your service, and continue to inspire the Youths.