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Luftwaffe comes to Charleston

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Mary Hinson and Cadet 1st Lt. Tony Clark
  • 315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
CHARLESTON AFB, S.C. --  Sixty-five years ago the Germans and Americans were on opposite sides of one of the world's biggest wars. Now, instead of exchanging bullets across the frontlines, we are exchanging ideas. 

Frauke Keller, a captain with the German Air Force Reserve, or Luftwaffe, spent two weeks learning the ways of the 315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs as part of the Reserve Foreign Officer Exchange Program. 

"This exchange is a way of keeping up the flow of information, as well as the friendship between the countries," said Captain Keller. "This year 21 reservists from all our forces (which happens to be army, air force and navy as well as two doctors), all ranked captain to lieutenant colonel, came over to the states and in September there will be 21 American reservists going over to Germany for exchange." 

Captain Keller, along with her fellow German officers, first travelled to Washington, D.C. for a tour of the nation's capital. After visiting some of the country's most historic sites, the exchange officers were scattered across the United States to their host units.
"Since all those reservists are specialized in something, the responsible person at the Pentagon and at the Streitkraefteamt (those who planned the whole trip) had figured out which place would be of the highest benefit to both the German reservist and the American counterpart," said the captain. 

For Captain Keller, that place was the 315th, who, according to Capt. Wayne Capps, 315th AW Public Affairs officer, volunteered to host a foreign exchange officer. Captain Keller, who works in the Presse-und Informationszentrum def Luftwaffe (Germany's version of public affairs), got an in-depth look at the wing's public affairs programs - from media events to television and radio interviews to base tours - as well as getting to know the wing's mission. 

"I just wanted her to leave with a sense of understanding of what we do and how we do it," said Captain Capps. 

The German officer, who joined her country's air force reserve in 2004, has had to overcome some difficulties in her quest to serve her country. According to Captain Keller, women have only been allowed to serve in the German armed forces since 2001. "Not many women have made it in there yet," she added. "And there are even fewer ranked officers. Women join all voluntarily since there is no draft for women as it is for men." 

These obstacles didn't stop the determined journalist from doing her duty. "I thought that was a very interesting opportunity to learn something new and serve my country - so I gladly accepted," said the captain. "I never regretted it and look where it took me." 

"I learned as much from her as she learned from us," said Captain Capps. "I learned how different the German Air Force is compared to ours and how their public affairs programs differ. 

"This joint exchange of ideas is mutually beneficial for both countries, and the more we do programs like this, the more it will help each organization grow."