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        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Capt. Jonathan Kay, 13th Fighter Squadron fighter pilot (right), explains an F-16CJ cockpit to 17-year-old Jonah Skrove (center), and his brother Airman 1st Class Jared Skrove (left)Nov. 1, 2013 at Misawa Air Base, Japan. Diagnosed with osteosarcoma last fall, Jonah was given the opportunity through the Make-A-Wish Foundation to do anything or go anywhere he wanted. Jonah wished to visit his brother here, and was treated to a tour of several base agencies during his visit. Jonah Skrove is a 13th Aircraft Maintenance Unit electrical and environmental maintenance specialist.Capt. Jonathan Kay, 13th Fighter Squadron fighter pilot (right), explains an F-16CJ cockpit to 17-year-old Jonah Skrove (center), and his brother Airman 1st Class Jared Skrove (left) Nov. 1, 2013, at Misawa Air Base, Japan. Diagnosed with osteosarcoma last fall, Jonah was given the opportunity through the Make-A-Wish Foundation to do anything or go anywhere he wanted. Jonah wished to visit his brother here, and was treated to a tour of several base agencies during his visit. Jonah Skrove is a 13th Aircraft Maintenance Unit electrical and environmental maintenance specialist.
                
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        The Skrove family, Shanna, Jeff, Jonah, Sarah and Jared, reunited Oct. 31, 2013, at Misawa Air Base, Japan, after 10 months of separation. The reunion was made possible by the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which granted Jonah’s wish to see his brother.The Skrove family, Shanna, Jeff, Jonah, Sarah and Jared, reunited Oct. 31, 2013, at Misawa Air Base, Japan, after 10 months of separation. The reunion was made possible by the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which granted Jonah’s wish to see his brother.
                
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        Senior Airman William Holliday and Airman 1st Class Jared Skrove watch Skrove’s 17-year-old brother, Jonah, maneuver a F6A robotics platform Nov. 6, 2013 at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The brothers were reunited thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which granted Jonah’s wish to visit his brother here. Jonah was diagnosed with osteosarcoma last fall, and lost part of his right leg in his battle with the cancer. Holliday is a Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal technician and Jared Skrove is a 13th Aircraft Maintenance Unit electrical and environmental maintenance specialist.Senior Airman William Holliday and Airman 1st Class Jared Skrove watch Skrove’s 17-year-old brother, Jonah, maneuver a F6A robotics platform Nov. 6, 2013, at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The brothers were reunited thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which granted Jonah’s wish to visit his brother here. Jonah was diagnosed with osteosarcoma last fall, and lost part of his right leg in his battle with the cancer. Holliday is a Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal technician and Jared Skrove is a 13th Aircraft Maintenance Unit electrical and environmental maintenance specialist.
                
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        Staff Sgt. Quentin Gray receives a hug from 17-year-old Jonah Skrove Nov. 1, 2013 at Draughon Range near Misawa Air Base, Japan. The Make-A-Wish Foundation sponsored Jonah, his parents and sister on a trip here to visit his older brother, and several base agencies allowed the Skrove family to tour their facilities. In thanks, more than 30 Airmen received a hug from Jonah. Gray is a 35th Security Forces Squadron combat arms instructor.Staff Sgt. Quentin Gray receives a hug from 17-year-old Jonah Skrove Nov. 1, 2013, at Draughon Range near Misawa Air Base, Japan. The Make-A-Wish Foundation sponsored Jonah, his parents and sister on a trip here to visit his older brother, and several base agencies allowed the Skrove family to tour their facilities. In thanks, more than 30 Airmen received a hug from Jonah. Gray is a 35th Security Forces Squadron combat arms instructor.
                
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        Master Sgt. Cary Gibson takes a moment to mentor 17-year-old Jonah Skrove Nov. 6, 2013, at Misawa Air Base, Japan. After being diagnosed with osteosarcoma, Jonah was granted a wish by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Instead of wishing to meet a famous actor or sports player, Jonah wished to see his brother who is stationed here. Gibson is a 35th Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal flight chief. Members of several base agencies, like EOD, took time out of their schedule to share their mission with the Skrove family.Master Sgt. Cary Gibson, 35th Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal flight chief, takes a moment to mentor 17-year-old Jonah Skrove Nov. 6, 2013, at Misawa Air Base, Japan. After being diagnosed with osteosarcoma, Jonah was granted a wish by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Instead of wishing to meet a famous actor or sports player, Jonah wished to see his brother who is stationed here. Members of several base agencies, like EOD, took time out of their schedule to share their mission with the Skrove family.
                
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Teen uses ‘wish’ to visit brother at Misawa ABPublished Nov. 12, 2013
                    
                    By Staff Sgt. Alyssa C. Wallace
                    
                    
                    35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
            **MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan (AFNS) --**Jonah Skrove is a hugger.
As Jonah exited the breezeway at the Misawa City Airport, he affectionately embraced nearly everyone in sight, including his brother, Airman 1st Class Jared Skrove.
Gatherings are commonplace for members of the military and their families, but the reason for the Skrove's reunion is far from ordinary.
Jonah is a self-described nerdy, obnoxious 17-year-old senior at Zimmerman High School in Minnesota who is battling a life-threatening bone cancer. Diagnosed with osteosarcoma last fall, Jonah was given the opportunity through the Make-A-Wish Foundation to do anything or go anywhere he wanted.
Instead of going to Disney or meeting a star athlete, Jonah wished to travel halfway around the world to see his brother, an electrical and environmental maintenance specialist with the 13th Aircraft Maintenance Unit. The foundation made sure his parents and sister also had seats on the flight.
"I haven't seen him since Christmas, and he's basically my best friend," Jonah said. "I didn't think they'd be able to send everybody. I thought it would maybe be like one or two of us. I was kind of dreading having to pick between parents, but they sent all of us; it was very generous."
Jonah's cancer was detected in his right leg in September 2012 while his brother was in Air Force basic military training. His family felt the news would hinder Jared progress in basic military training, so he wasn't told about the diagnosis until after he graduated.
"We held back a lot from him because we didn't want it to interfere with what he was going through and how excited he was going to be about graduating, and that was tough because they're so close," said their father, Jeff Skrove. "We worried about how Jared would take it -- I think he had several tough times at that stage in his service."
While Jared was at technical training, Jonah's right leg was amputated below the knee, raising his survival rate from 50 to 70 percent. Despite a tight, strict training schedule, Jared’s instructors made sure he had time to cope.
"I was a mess," Airman Skrove said. "When I got to call him after surgery and I heard how much pain he was in, I was devastated. It was hard, but knowing that there are better times to come ... that's what I'm looking forward to.
The Skroves didn't have to wait too long for a pick-me-up. Every 38 minutes the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wish of a 3- to 17-year-old child who is battling a life-threatening illness. Jonah was notified his wish would come true earlier this spring.
However, Jared’s first sergeant, Senior Master Sgt. Harry Nichols, only found out about the Skrove family's trip two days before they arrived here. Unbeknownst to him, Nichols has lost two immediate family members to cancer, and has a soft place in his heart for survivors. The first sergeant quickly began formulating a plan for the Skroves.
"First I wanted to strangle Jared for not giving me a heads up," Nichols joked, "but after that I wanted to set something up to show the family what we're all about."
Nichols reached out to the 35th Force Support and Security Forces Squadrons, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Life Support and Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape flights, and the 13th Fighter Squadron and Aircraft Maintenance Unit for assistance. The end result was a tour consisting of grenade launchers, a military working dog demonstration, night vision goggles and helmets, an F-16 Fighting Falcon static display, a weapons load demo, a simulated parachute jump, a controlled explosive detonation and a call sign for Jonah, "New Jack."
But why would any members of the 35th Fighter Wing go through the trouble of setting up a visit for individuals they've never met? For Nichols, the answer is simple.
"I care about all people," Nichols said. "It's amazing the support we got for this, all the credit goes to those guys (who put this together). I'm just happy I could facilitate some of this."
Jared said he was humbled by his wingmen.
"They've sacrificed the time out of their busy schedules to show a few cool things to my family. It really means a lot to me," the Airman said. "I like just having time with my family, but the few days we got to spend with my Air Force means a lot to me too. The Air Force is a good family to have."
Their motivation for this good deed is also similar to the reasoning behind Jonah's willingness to wrap his arms around someone he doesn't even know.
"A few years ago I started asking if people needed a hug or anything because sometimes (people) have a bad day, but they just don't show it," Jonah said. "You may not even realize it, but you may have made their day that much better."
A hug may not mean anything to most of the world, but it could mean the world to one person, he continued.
Before leaving Misawa, Jonah made the rounds, giving every Airman in sight a hug. To him, these were no longer strangers, but an extended family of sorts. Each individual played a role in making his reunion with his brother more memorable than he could have ever wished for, and that, to him, meant the world.Make-A-Wish Foundation 



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