Posted by: Media Relations
Sheriff’s Aero Squadron awards scholarship
Media Alert: Visalia man receives aviation scholarship.
Anthony Trujillo of Visalia received an Aviation Scholarship from the Tulare County Sheriff’s Aero Squadron.
He graduated from Redwood High School in June and is currently a freshman at the Arizona State University, majoring in Linguistics and Political Science. He is simultaneously enrolled in the U.S. Army’s Reserve Officer Training Corps.
Trujillo said he wants to become an Aviator in the U.S. Army and earn a commission as an officer.
The Tulare County Sheriff’s Aero Squadron is proud to help Trujillo reach his goal with a $500 scholarship, said James Chavez, president and former Army Aviator.
“Anthony has been a highly focused individual in his education and in the Civil Air Patrol where he was an Outstanding Cadet,” he said. “He shows great promise in achieving his goals in aviation.”
The Sheriff’s Aero Squadron is a benevolent volunteer organization that trains for air searches and message drops. Members include volunteer pilots and aerial observers. Each pilot is licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration while aerial observers are individuals who assist pilots during search and rescue training and operations.
Members of the Tulare County Sheriff’s Aero Squadron attend search and rescue readiness training monthly and practice aerial search exercises annually.
Trujillo’s love of flying began in 2013 when he went on a couple of orientation flights as a Cadet with the Civil Air Patrol, an auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force.
“I knew that I would rather spend most of my time up in the air [as] opposed to staying on the ground,” he said.
Learning to fly is an expensive endeavor and this scholarship will help Trujillo pay for future flight training as he works toward solo flight and obtains his private pilot’s license. So far, he’s logged more than 20 hours of flight time.
Eventually, he would also like to become a flight instructor so he can spread his love of flying to others, Trujillo said.
Aero Squadron scholarships are available to high school and college age candidates who have a serious desire to make a career in general and commercial aviation, professional aircraft maintenance, professional piloting, or military aviation.
For more info on how to apply for an Aero Squadron Aviation Scholarship or to find out more about the Tulare County Sheriff’s Aero Squadron, contact James Chavez at (559) 967-9148 or jjchavez@co.tulare.ca.us.
The Tulare County Sheriff’s Aero Squadron is affiliated with the Western States Association of Sheriff’s Air Squadrons which was founded in 1947 in Bass Lake.