JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas– The Air Force Recruiting Service, along with the Department of the Air Force Indigenous Nations Equality Team (INET), traveled to various locations across western South Dakota from January 25-27, 2024, in an effort to increase Air Force and Space Force awareness to Native American communities.

“INET has been instrumental in providing a bridge for the Department of the Air Force to engage with youth from tribal communities,” said Col. Layne Trosper, Air Force Recruiting Service deputy commander. “They brought us in and shared their community with us and gave Air Force recruiters an opportunity to educate students about opportunities in the Air Force and Space Force.”

The mission of INET is to provide pivotal advocacy for American Indian and Alaskan Natives (AI/AN) within the Air Force and Space Force through policy changes, recruitment and outreach, and community support, to preserve culture and honor traditions. For the South Dakota recruiting events, participating INET members received an exception to policy to wear regalia, demonstrating professional appearance and honoring their respective tribe’s culture.

“Words cannot express how I feel returning to my homeland and sharing my Air Force and Space Force experience with future generations,” said Master Sgt. Frances Dupris, INET senior enlisted lead. “I see much potential in the youth and I want them to have the ability to follow their dreams post high school or college.”

Members from INET, Air Force recruiters, Airmen from Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, and the U.S. Air Force’s Wild Blue country band partnered to reach underserved communities, sharing their Air Force experience and path into military service in an effort to educate youth on additional opportunities and career paths.

“The collaborative efforts from recruiters, INET members, the Wild Blue band and Ellsworth Airmen is a testament to how much we can accomplish when we work together in recruiting,” said Trosper. “It really is true that we are all recruiters, and I think we’ve demonstrated it well these past few days.”

The outreach events were collaborative efforts with Scheuring Speed Sports, which the Air Force sponsors in the AMSOIL Championship Snocross series. Scheuring Speed Sports offers a “Race to the Future” scholarship to recognize high school and post-secondary students at each of the eight AMSOIL Championship Snocross series tour stops.

“The Air Force is my favorite sponsor,” said Steve Scheuring, Scheuring Speed Sports owner. “My father served in the Air Force and partnering with the Air Force for over 20 years now has truly been my honor.”

Scheuring Speed Sports presented the scholarship at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology to the Tiospaye Program. Tiospaye is a Native American Dakota word meaning extended family and relates to kinships. The Tiospaye program is for all Native Americans attending the South Dakota School of Mines.

In total, the outreach events from January 25-27 reached over five thousand youth from across South Dakota.

“It was a huge success and I look forward to doing something like this every year,” said Trosper.

If you are interested in learning more about the Air Force or Space Force please visit airforce.com or spaceforce.com.