American300 tour brings Olympians to Malmstrom

by Airman 1st Class Collin Schmidt
341st Missile Wing Public Affairs

3/6/2014 - MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- The American300 tour has come to Malmstrom Air Force Base many times in recent years and with every visit has strived to bring inspiring people, stories and a message of resiliency. This visit was no different. Accompanying Robi Powers, American300 founder, for the beginning of this year's Never Quit Series tour were two Olympians who have had their share of ups and downs and brought not only a message of encouragement, but proof that hard work pays off.

Ann Battelle, former U.S. Olympic mogul skier, and Erin Simmons-Nemec, former U.S. Olympic snowboarder and X-Games champion, joined Powers on a tour of Malmstrom to speak with Airmen about the challenges they faced while chasing their dream of competing in the Olympics. Along the way, the Olympians took time to show their appreciation for military members by speaking with Airmen and learning about what they do on a day-to-day basis.

"The things these Airmen do every day are amazing," Simmons-Nemec said. "If someone needs help, his or her teammate is right next to them pushing them along. For [Airmen], they might think that becoming an Olympian is so far-fetched or that to participate in something like the Olympics would be so incredible. On the flip side of that, we think that what these men and women do on Malmstrom every day is incredible. The work they accomplish and the mission they have here is amazing to us."

During the tour, Simmons-Nemec and Battelle spent hours performing hands-on training alongside Airmen to learn aspects of their careers and get a feel for what they do on a daily basis. The tour kicked off at the base gym with a physical training session alongside Airman Leadership School students and continued on to a first-hand look at a missile alert facility.

Over the course of the tour, the Olympians spoke at multiple shops and met with Airmen at the Elkhorn Dining Facility for breakfast, lunch and dinner to hear their personal experiences of life in the military.

"This has been one of the biggest eye-opening experiences of my life," Battelle said. "Within the 24 hours that I've been here, I have learned so much. I've met people with these incredibly specific jobs that keep our country safe. The work they do is exceptional and it's humbling to see them put their heart into this mission just like we put ours into our training.

"As an Olympian, you need to be at the top of your game during competition, but here you need to be at the top of your game every single day and that is a feat in-and-of-itself," she said.

The theme of this tour was resiliency. During every meeting, it was a goal of the tour's participants to learn one thing that helped Airmen remain resilient and accomplish their goals. In return, they would share personal life experiences, which helped them along the way and a promise that hard work pays off.

"These Airmen are some of the best in the business," Powers said. "Our goal is to give them a boost and inspire them to do great things. I've seen what they do and I know the hard work that goes into this profession. For me, it's been great to see my friends [Simmons-Nemec and Battelle] learn about what goes on here. These guys are the best."

According to Airmen who had the opportunity to listen to the American300 tour guests, it was a great experience and an exceptional learning lesson.

"It was really interesting to meet Olympic athletes," said Airman 1st Class Michael Carrete, 341st Missile Security Forces Squadron member. "To meet someone who has achieved goals that not many Americans have achieved was really inspiring. This was special because these were ordinary people who went on to become Olympians and now they're taking the time to talk with me about what I do and my goals. Speaking with them has motivated me to push myself and see what I can accomplish. Someday, I hope to do great things also."