Scott Air Force Base, Ill. -- More than 55 veteran Air Force communicators and air traffic controllers recently visited the Air Force Network Integration Center's Ludwig Heritage Hall as part of the Air Force Communicators and Air Traffic Controllers Association's annual convention.

Among the attendees were former Air Force Communications Command Commander, retired Maj. Gen. Gerald Prather, and former AFCC Chief of Staff, retired Brig. Gen. Stancil Dilda. AFCC is a predecessor organization of AFNIC.

AFNIC commander, Col. Rizwan Ali, warmly welcomed the group and briefed them on AFNIC's mission.

"I was honored to meet with and talk with the association members on their tour of AFNIC," Ali said. "Many of the association members have had a decades-long affiliation with our organization, and the communication and air traffic control career fields. I received many comments from them about how impressed they were with our center and the energetic attitude of our people."

Tyson Joye, AFNIC's museum curator, then led the group on a tour of the Ludwig Heritage Hall.

"This was a delightful tour," Joye said about the veterans. "It was interesting to hear some of the stories of the retired communicators and air traffic controllers. They were passionate about their service to our country and the changes in technology they helped bring into the Air Force. Some even discussed the proposed changes to AFNIC's atrium concerning future technology and cyberspace."

Convention host and former AFCC Public Affairs Chief Lori Manske said this group brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and stories to the Air Force generation serving today. Many in this group saw air traffic control take a technological leap with the introduction of radar; some saw air and ground radio stations transform from continuous wave Morse Code to radio telephone; and many witnessed the advent of the computer.

The group concluded their visit of AFNIC with a tour of the Technology and Interoperability Facility, the Executive Airlift Communications Network and Scope Airborne Lab Environment.