The volunteer corps on the USS Midway Museum continues to be the envy of all naval ship museums in the United States. Not only is the museum fortunate to have more than 800 people from all walks of life who bring massive arrays of talent to the ship, but the passion and dedication of each volunteer is without peer. The positive effect of Midway’s volunteers is highlighted in virtually every guest comment posted on the various online review sites.
“I need to commend the docents and volunteers for their outstanding work to make this a living museum,” said Ernie Carillo, who visited Midway recently with his family. “They are engaged, lively, kind and very informative. They gave us such an incredible tour.”
Let’s cheer our volunteers of the month for the second quarter of 2026.
Aric Henschen, Exhibits – April 2026
The art world celebrates many different styles, from abstract and expressionism to impressionism and surrealism. On board Midway, however, realism is considered the highest form of art. Every exhibit, display and restored space is painstakingly crafted to recreate extraordinary levels of authenticity.
For Aric Henschen, authenticity takes center stage in all the work he does with the exhibits team. He recently completed all the faux painting in the new Prisoner of War
exhibit. Not only did he work tirelessly to
ensure the accuracy of the exhibit, but he also toiled in alternatingly hot and cold conditions which can affect the paint’s consistency.
“Aric did a truly outstanding job,” said Bill Coleman, Midway’s exhibits director. “The detailed effort he put forth on our new POW exhibit accurately depicted the look of an actual prison camp cell during the Vietnam War.”
A dual service veteran, Aric split his military career between the Navy and the Army before retiring in 2006. Since joining Midway in 2025, he’s already amassed more than 400 volunteer hours.
Steve Nehez, Safety – May 2026
There is no question, Steve Nehez is a go-getter. Although he joined the safety team only a year ago, he has already contributed more than 1,000 volunteer hours to Midway. Committing nearly 120 hours per month, he has had a tremendously positive influence on the museum’s safety and security efforts.
His motivation and passion have been infectious within the safety department, and he’s not afraid to tackle any job and literally get his hands dirty in the process.
“He loves his position and is very passionate about safety and security,” said Dominic Boccia, Midway’s director of safety. “He quickly gained the respect of his peers and is making a beneficial impact on Midway.”
A model train enthusiast, Steve also helps set up and operate the popular train display on the hangar deck during Jingle Jets, the museum’s holiday lights celebration.
Steve served in the Marine Corps for 28, years rising to the rank of sergeant major. Following his retirement from the military, he worked in parking enforcement in Oceanside for nearly two decades.
AJ Ronacher, Docents/Midway on Bikes – June 2026
Over the past six years, AJ Ronacher has become one of Midway’s standout docents. Since coming aboard in 2020, he’s donated more than 2,700 volunteer hours to the museum.
Along with directly engaging with Midway visitors, AJ has also committed himself to another passion that has quietly evolved into a very visible component of the museum’s community outreach program.
In 2023, AJ helped take the dream of the late Bob Carter, a former museum docent, of creating a Midway bicycle club and turned it into a reality. Known as Midway on Bikes, or MOB, AJ is the club’s director with the ongoing vision of establishing local neighborhood rides through San Diego, Orange and Riverside counties.
“He works tirelessly to recruit new members and ride leaders while meticulously coordinating every group outing,” said Jack Gale, Midway’s docent director. “AJ is constantly generating fresh ideas and finding innovative ways to enhance the MOB experience for everyone involved.”
Known as the MOB Boss, AJ has demonstrated selfless leadership and an unwavering commitment to the club.
For those interested in becoming a USS Midway Museum volunteer, more information along with the volunteer application can be found here.
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