Unless the country focuses on making science and technology interesting to children by the time they are in fifth grade, “we lose them,” Raines said.
“We have lost our technological edge in a lot of places because of our lack of investment in science and technology,” he said.
Advocates of beefed-up science, technology, engineering and mathematics instruction in Dayton and elsewhere are making similar arguments.
Raines was among five panel members who addressed an audience of business and Air Force personnel at InfoTech, an annual convention and trade show at the Dayton Convention Center. The event brings together military and business leaders and provides a showplace for defense technology displays.
Lt. Col. Daniel McDonald, who recently concluded a six-month tour in Afghanistan flying intelligence and surveillance missions in Air Force MC-12 aircraft, said that when he arrived in February, pilots were flying three to five daily sorties from Bagram Air Base. By the time he left in September to return home, the flights were up to 15 to 18 daily.
Crews of the sensor-loaded planes were taking multiple images and talking with ground commanders to scrutinize potential targets, monitor battlefields and assess battle damage, said McDonald, who was one of Wednesday’s panelists and is now assigned to Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
“The missions were very varied,” he said. “Five minutes into the mission, you’d get a new task.”
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2242 or jnolan@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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