Thunderbirds Recognize Roman Ben Winkelman as ‘Hometown Hero’

Thunderbirds Recognize Roman Ben Winkelman as ‘Hometown Hero’

Ben Winkelman still carries a gun and a badge, but his mission is more about environmental enlightenment than law enforcement.

Winkelman has devoted his career to wildlife and outdoor education across students and adults. His passion and dedication to the community are why he’s been designated a “hometown hero” and selected to fly with the Thunderbirds.

The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Team, the “Thunderbirds”, will headline the Wings Over North Georgia Airshow scheduled for April 3-4 at the Richard B. Russell Regional Airport.

Winkelman is director of the Rome-Floyd County E.C.O. Center, which explores the riparian ecology of the Etowah, Coosa, and Oostanaula River systems from an education facility in Ridge Ferry Park. The center has more than 30 animal exhibits and provides customized programs for school groups. It is open to the public free of charge from 1-4 p.m. Monday-Thursday.

While still in high school, Winkelman volunteered for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, leading him to a full-time job as a State Conservation Officer/Game Warden. He was also deputized as a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Special Agent by the federal Department of Interior. He is still a Certified Peace Officer with Georgia DNR and a reserve deputy with the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office.

During his 10 years with DNR, Winkelman recognized a need for natural resource education programs and became involved early on with the E.C.O. Center, founded in 2011 and housed in the circa-1893 Oostanaula Freshwater Pump Station building.

The E.C.O. Center under Winkelman’s leadership has expanded its facilities and evolved from teaching contact with 2,500 students a year to now more than 12,000 annually.

Winkleman’s career has included work on conservation projects with the late wildlife biologist Ted Touchstone and retired biologist Jerry Bearden. They monitored restoration projects to expand the Georgia populations of golden eagles and bald eagles – the very birds that inspired Native Americans to create the iconic thunderbird image that graces the F-16C and F-16D aircraft flying soon over Rome.

The Thunderbirds selected Winkelman to participate in a hometown hero flight after careful review of his extensive volunteer work in the community and leadership in service-oriented positions.

Joining the Thunderbirds on Easter weekend will be the first-time WONG performances by Ghostwriter AirShows performing in a modified 1956 deHaviland Super Chipmunk and the Bayou Militia, a four-ship F-15C Eagle Demonstration Team from the Louisiana National Guard, along with a full lineup of military and civilian performances.

Also on board for the April 2026 iteration of WONG are; the Fox Jet Sailplane, Kyle Fowler’s Long EZ experimental aircraft, Buck Roetman’s Yak, Artur Kielak Airshows, Jive Kerby’s T-28, the Chuters Parachute Team, the Smoke N Thunder jet car and jet truck, the L-39 Outlaw Jet Team, the Georgia State Patrol SWAT Team, and the vintage “Class of ‘45” — Scott Yoak’s P-51D Mustang and Jim Tobul’s F4U Corsair.

Friday evening’s twilight and night shows will include evening aviation performances, a drone show and fireworks.
Tickets for the WONG Air Show are available at https://www.wingsovernorthgeorgia.com/guest-information/ticket-options. Tickets must be purchased online and in advance as no tickets will be sold on the day of the air show performances.

For additional show information, follow the air show’s Facebook page or visit the Wings Over North Georgia website at https://www.WingsOverNorthGeorgia.com.