Pirates' Paul Skenes Surprises Pittsburgh-Area Students at Air Force Leadership Event

About 400 high schoolers got a behind-the-scenes look at the Air Force and its career opportunities.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 9:25pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting high school students interacting with Air Force personnel and equipment, the figures and objects broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color and shape to capture the energy and excitement of the event.A unique Air Force leadership event in Pittsburgh exposes high school students to the military's career opportunities and core values.Today in Pittsburgh

Approximately 400 high school students from the Pittsburgh area attended an Air Force leadership event on Wednesday, where they were surprised by a special guest appearance from Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, a former Air Force Academy cadet. The students were able to see military aircraft up close and learn about different career paths within the Air Force.

Why it matters

The event aimed to break down barriers between students and the military, encouraging them to explore the opportunities the Air Force can provide. As a former cadet, Skenes was able to share his personal experiences and insights on how the Air Force's core values have translated to his professional baseball career.

The details

The event, called All-Star Leadership Day, took place at the 171st Air Refueling Wing in Coraopolis. In addition to seeing C-17s and KC-135s up close, the students heard from Airmen in various career fields and participated in demonstrations. Colonel Jason Figley, the 171st Air Refueling Wing's maintenance group commander, said the goal was to show the students how they can channel their leadership abilities and focus them towards national interests.

  • The event took place on Wednesday, April 15, 2026.

The players

Paul Skenes

A pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates and former Air Force Academy cadet who made a surprise appearance at the event to share his experiences and insights with the students.

Colonel Jason Figley

The 171st Air Refueling Wing's maintenance group commander, who spoke about the event's goal of breaking down barriers between students and the military.

Boaz Swift

A 10th grader at Bishop Canevin who attended the event and was impressed by Skenes' appearance, saying he had "never seen him in person before."

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What they’re saying

“Never seen him in person before. Especially that close.”

— Boaz Swift, 10th grader at Bishop Canevin

“This is an opportunity to show how they can take that leadership ability, and desire and focus it towards national interests.”

— Colonel Jason Figley, 171st Air Refueling Wing's maintenance group commander

“At a younger age, it's scary. It's unknown. And they don't know what it looks like.”

— Colonel Jason Figley, 171st Air Refueling Wing's maintenance group commander

“At times, I didn't really see the big picture of it. I see the big picture of it now.”

— Paul Skenes

“There are a lot of people that are itching to serve, whether they know it or not.”

— Paul Skenes

What’s next

The event organizers hope that the students who attended will be inspired to further explore the opportunities available in the Air Force, potentially leading some to pursue careers in the military.

The takeaway

This event demonstrates the Air Force's efforts to engage with local communities and expose high school students to the leadership, service, and career possibilities within the military. By having a prominent figure like Paul Skenes, who has firsthand experience with the Air Force, the event was able to make a lasting impression on the students and potentially spark their interest in serving their country.