Reservist judges at state fair

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Randy LeMay
  • 916th ARW
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. --  I’ll be the judge of that! 

Apprentice electricians competed at the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh in mid-October for prestige, money and exposure. A member of the 916th Maintenance Operations Flight was there to help judge the competition. 

Staff Sgt. James L. Thomas, training manager with the 916th MOF, is in his third year of judging at the state fair. His civilian experience as an instructor at James Sprunt Community College for more than 13 years helped him become a fair judge.
“I judge projects every day at the college, but I mainly do this at the state fair,” Sergeant Thomas said. 

The coolest part of the judging is watching a contestant take a piece of pipe or conduit and put several bends in it to make it fit exactly like the plans or specifications, said Sergeant Thomas. 

To judge the competition, you need to have at least 10 years experience as an inspector, community college teacher or some form of involvement with the National Electrical Code. The judging takes just about one day, starting at 7:30 a.m. and finishing around 1:30 p.m. 

The participants must do a hands-on project that is scored based on several components such as completing the project, following electrical codes, their ability to read an electrical blueprint and following directions. 

In the afternoon, the NC Electrical Board of Examiners gives the contestants a two hour test. “The combination of the hands-on and the written test determines the winner of the NC apprentice contest,” Sergeant Thomas said. 

The contestants must be a minimum of 18 years old and they compete for cash prizes. The top three winners receive other prizes such as hand tools, electrical meters and a generator for first place. 

The event is open to apprentices that are in their third or fourth year of apprenticeship.
Sergeant Thomas explained that he teaches a one year apprentice electrical program called Wheels for Learning which is recognized by the NC Department of Labor. His students cannot participate in the competition for another two to three years. 

“I feel good about myself by knowing that what I have done is right for all of the people that are involved,” he said, “I plan on judging these contests as long as the state fair and the NC Department of Labor will sponsor the event.” 

“I like to give back to the community, especially younger individuals, so that they can stay focused and have a future that is very rewarding,” said Sergeant Thomas. “The judging allows me to serve the community by sharing my knowledge with others.”