Not every child has the opportunity to look inside an aircraft, let alone three different variants of aircraft from three different military organizations.

Third grade students from the Academia Britanica Cucatleca School, a bilingual school located in Santa Tecla, El Salvador, were given this opportunity during a recent visit to Cooperative Security Location (CSL) Comalapa May 12-13.

More than 90 students had an opportunity to tour the aviation assets, as well as interact with the pilots, flight officers, and aircrewman from the U.S. Navy Patrol Squadron (VP) 26, the U.S. Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON), and El Salvador's Segunda Brigada Aerea.

Students, teachers, and chaperones visited the CSL installation as part of a school project which discussed world travel. This two-day event supported their unit lesson "Gateways to the World", in which students learned how airports and air travel can enhance their lives. The children found that there is a lot more happening in an airport than what they see as passengers; this visit provided an awareness for some of the procedures and requirements needed to travel while also highlighting the Navy's aviation role in the world.

Upon arrival, students were greeted by the CSL's Executive Officer Lt. Cmdr. Giovanni Forero and Command Senior Chief Cajan Nelms, and interacted with various CSL military personnel who helped showcase what it would be like to travel in actual airport; the group had their bags inspected, received a safety brief, watched a video depicting Naval aviation assets in action and how these aviation units support people around the world.

"It was a great experience that will remain a special memory in the children's minds for a very long time," said Academia Britanica Cucatleca School teacher Edda Padilla. "We all had an awesome time and learned a lot. I hope we are able to repeat this educational field-trip next year."

CSL Comalapa provides critical logistics, infrastructure, and operational support to forward deployed U.S. and partner nation aviation assets participating in Joint Interagency Task Force South assigned counter-narcotic/illicit trafficking operations, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command-directed humanitarian missions, and search-and-rescue efforts.

For more news from U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command & U.S. 4th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/.