Pilot for a Day: 'It's my day!'

by SrA. Monica Ricci
439th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

10/7/2014 - WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE, Mass. -- Nine-year-old Peyton Malloy became Westover's newest "pilot" as Col. Albert Lupenski knelt and presented the young boy with his "wings."

"It's my day!" shouted Peyton, to Westover's newest wing commander and to a roomful of Airmen and Peyton's family.

In 2011, Peyton had a severe case of scoliosis, a sideways curvature of the spine that occurs with youngsters most often during a growth spurt. His spine was at a 90 percent curvature. Devastated when put in traction to straighten his spine, his resiliency prevailed. By the end of his 75-day stay at Shriners Hospital in Springfield, he was welcoming new patients -- telling them everything would be okay.
"Pilot for a Day" is a program that provides high-spirited children like Peyton that have serious or chronic conditions, and their families the unique opportunity to be guests of Westover and the U.S. Air Force.

Peyton was accompanied by his mother Anne, father Robert, and sister, Ashlyn. His Pilot for A Day visit began at the 337th Airlift Squadron briefing room. Peyton received a standard-issue flight jacket, and was sworn in as an honorary pilot for the day. The family then headed to the control tower to get some views of the base from one of Westover's premier vantage points. The 11-story tower looms more than 120 feet high.

The boy's imagination ran wild during his tour in a C-5. He pretended to shout into the radio controls from the pilot's seat of a C-5. Peyton also took the controls of the base's C-5 flight simulator as it "flew" to Hawaii.

Airmen with the 439th Security Forces Squadron and members of the Westover Fire Department provided tours to Peyton and his family of their facilities and equipment.
Peyton even had the chance to ride in a fire truck with his family and spray the hose.
The young boy's infectious personality got the attention of many Airmen on base, not to exclude Command Chief Master Sergeant David Carbin. Chief Carbin, who had earlier coined Peyton, shared many laughs with the family over lunch at the Westover Club.

The command chief taught Peyton the history of coins in the military and told him how to "coin check" other Airmen. Peyton enjoyed visiting tables at the club, dropping his coin on each.

"I won against everyone in the cafeteria," said Peyton as he flashed his coin.

Anne Malloy said Peyton's attitude with managing scoliosis amazes his family every day and makes them especially proud. She said they were grateful for the experience to visit Westover on a busy fall UTA.

"It was an amazing day and opportunity to see the inner workings of Westover. We would have never been able to do this had it not been for Pilot for A Day," she said.