Welcome Letter from the Superintendent

Dear Families and Friends of the Class of 2022

Lt. Gen. Richard M. Clark is honored to welcome the families and friends of the Class of 2022 to Falcon Stadium to celebrate the 64th graduating class of the United States Air Force Academy. Guests of graduating cadets can click here to read his welcome letter, which includes important information on the Graduation Parade, graduation ceremony tickets, and the Superintendent’s graduate reception at the Carlton House.

Commandant’s Future Spouses Reception

Curious about what married life is like in the military? The Future Spouses Reception is a casual event at the Commandant of Cadet’s house to mingle with other military couples to learn first-hand! The Commandant’s Future Spouses Reception provides graduates the opportunity to share their Air Force Academy experience with their future military or civilian spouses while preparing them for service in the U.S. Air and Space Forces. Active Duty personnel representing various spousal circumstances (e.g., military-civilian, join spouse, same sex couples, etc.) will provide their perspective and lessons learned over their career for making their union and careers successful. The event naturally provides mentorship and introduces resources such as Key Spouses groups, Heartlink, Chaplains, Airman and Family Readiness Center, Military & Family Life Consultants, etc.

Superintendent’s Graduation Reception

Reception honoring graduating cadets and their families hosted by the Superintendent and his spouse at the Carlton House, the Superintendent’s residence. Families will have an opportunity to get a picture and interact with Academy Senior Leaders, and enjoy light refreshments.
(Squadrons 1-10: 2:00-3:00 pm, Squadrons 11-20: 3:00-4:00 pm, Squadrons 21-30: 4:30-5:30 pm, Squadrons 31-40: 5:30-6:30 pm)

Bluebards Production of "All Shook Up"

The Bluebards Cadet Theatre Troupe takes the stage in the Arnold Hall Auditorium with a presentation of “All Shook Up.” The play is inspired by and features the songs of Elvis Presley. Showtime at 7:00 pm.
(no tickets required, open to all guests, a show flyer is available here.)

Tapping Ceremony

The Tapping Ceremony is a prestigious ceremony recognizing specific top performers in the graduating class. A portion of the ceremony commemorates award recipients by attaching their engraved name plate to the larger award plaque in the Ballroom (the “tapping”). The Superintendent, Commandant, donors and other distinguished visitors present awards to the recipients.
(by invitation to honored cadets and their guests)

Graduation Awards Ceremony

The largest Academy awards ceremony honoring the top cadets in the graduating class for their military, academic, and athletic performance. Award winners will receive the beautiful Eagle and Fledglings sculpture and meet the generous sponsors who made these awards possible. Award winners and their guests are invited to attend a reception immediately following the ceremony.
(presentation of organizational and individual awards)

Thunderbird Pilot Graduate Meet-and-Greet

There will be a Thunderbird pilot and non-pilot graduate meet-and-greet for all cadets (not just those headed for UPT) and their family members from 4:00-5:30 pm at Hap’s Place in Arnold Hall.

Aerial and Honor Guard Demonstrations

Arriving early to the Graduation Parade not only guarantees you a good seat, but also gains you exclusive access to some amazing demonstrations! Come watch our glider program soar onto the parade field, our “Wings of Blue” parachute team freefall with colored smoke and flags, and our Honor Guard and Saber Drill Team demonstrate their exceptional precision maneuvers. It is fun-filled entertainment for the whole family!
(event is restricted to six guests per graduate; wristband required)

Graduation Parade

The Graduation Parade is a Cadet Wing parade that honors the graduating class and symbolizes the assumption of command by the second class. During the parade, the graduating class marches away from the Cadet Wing as they pass their command to the rising Firsties. Come take in our Cadet Wing’s drill and ceremony skills as they create a visual and symbolic demonstration of our graduating class joining the long blue line.
(event is restricted to six guests per graduate, wristband required)

Graduation Reception

Following the graduation parade, you and your group will likely need to grab a bite to eat while being guided by your graduate through the cadet area or before joining a commissioning ceremony. Have you been curious about the cuisine and dining hall in which your graduate has been fed the past four years? To meet both needs, Mitchell Hall is providing a reception for grads and families with a menu of heavy hor d’oeuvres at a cost of $15.00 per person and free for cadets.
(tickets must be purchased in advance and are available here)

Commissioning Ceremonies

The Commissioning Ceremony is a highly meaningful and historic ceremony for graduates, families and friends. Although largely symbolic (the formal commissioning takes place at the Graduation Ceremony), it is both formal and personal. Due to the number of highly sought out venues, commissioning ceremonies are taking place during four waves of time after the Graduation Parade. Be sure to check with your graduate in which wave their ceremony will take place!
(a schedule with times, squadrons, and locations is available below)

Pre-Graduation Performances

Gates at Falcon Stadium open at 7:00 am. Come out early to watch performances by some of the U.S. Air Force Academy’s elite clubs. Performance times are as follows: Honor Guard begins at 7:45 am; The Cadet Chorale begins at 8:00 am; The Sabre Drill Team begins at 8:20 am; followed by the a cappella group, “In The Stairwell,” at 8:25 am.

Graduation Ceremony

The Graduation Ceremony is held to honor each graduating cadet’s successful completion of the Academy’s program. It embodies both the academic ceremony of granting the Bachelor of Science degree as well as the awarding of a commission in the U.S. Air Force or Space Force. In the event of severe inclement weather, the ceremony may be delayed or moved to the Cadet Field House. This announcement will be made the morning of and shared across the Cadet Wing.
(Tickets required, stadium gates open at 7:00 am, entry will not be allowed once the ceremony begins at 9:30 am)

Thunderbirds Performance

Following the Graduation Ceremony (outdoor only), join us for a magnificent flyover by the Air Force’s aerial demonstration team, the Thunderbirds! Be prepared to witness airpower up close and through impressive precision maneuvers. The USAF Thunderbirds demonstration is conducted in honor of the Academy’s graduating class. (all personnel must remain in the stadium until the aerial demonstration is completed, announcements will be made in the stadium and gates will open following the last pass of the Thunderbirds)