WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE -- The International Air Attache' Corps, a group of more than 36 international senior officers representing countries as close as Canada, Chile, and Guatemala, and as far away as Iraq, Senegal, and China, visited Wright-Patterson Air Force Base on April 7-9.

Escorted by Lt. Gen. Stephen Hoog, the Air Force Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, the group visited areas on base and points of interest in the surrounding Dayton area. The purpose of the Attache' Corps spring tour is to provide a view of military, industrial, cultural and societal aspects of the United States-- The theme for the tour is Industrial Relationships: The Past, Present Day, and Future.

One of the group members, Col. Harendra Ranasinghe from Sri Lanka, said he is here to "discuss and improve relations."

After arriving on base at 9 a.m., the group received a base orientation and brief history. Three mission briefings, to provide the visitors with an information foundation, outlined roles and responsibilities of the Air Force Material Command, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, and the Air Force Security Assistance and Cooperation Directorate.

During lunch with Airmen as well as local contractors, Lloyd Fields, Dayton Area Defense Contractors Association, briefed the group on Dayton Industry Partnerships.

After lunch, the group traveled to Area B for research and development tours. This included stops at AFLCMC's Fighter/Bomber Directorate , the Tanker Directorate and the Air Force Research Laboratory.

Col. Abdourahim Kebe from Senegal, said the tours and briefings are informative and enjoyable and that Wright-Patterson AFB is on "the cutting edge of technology."

The group also met with the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Directorate and stopped by the KC-46 Boeing Trailer, part of the KC-46 Division. Several displays, to include an air refueling system, which uses a panoramic camera and stereoscopic viewing images and a simulated cockpit, provided the group with the look and feel of the actual cockpit.

On April 8, the group visited the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. After lunch, the group departed Wright-Patterson AFB for a tour of Carillon Historical Park. Dinner was held at the Engineers Club of Dayton.

On April 9, the 2014 Air Attache' Corps departed for MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.