Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Edward Mechenbier, Class of 1964, is a consultant to defense companies, serving on several private and public boards. He continues his public service by working with military veterans at Marion Correctional Institute in Ohio. He flew an F-4C in Vietnam, where he was shot down on his 113th combat mission and a prisoner of war for nearly six years. Through more than 40 years of aviation service, he flew the F-4C/D, the F-100, A-7 and C-141C. For more than 30 years he was the television host for several major airshows throughout the country, including the United States Air and Trade Show held in Dayton, Ohio and the Miramar Air Show in San Diego, Calif. He is a distinguished graduate and a command pilot with more than 3,600 flying hours.

Master Sgt. (Ret.) Dustin Goodwin is a supervisory training instructor at the 343rd Training Squadron, Security Forces Academy, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. He oversees the opposing forces section and serves as an instructor for the Combat Leaders Course. He is responsible for utilizing current enemy tactics to enhance training for the Basic Defenders Course, Basic Officer Course, and Advanced Combat Leaders Course, delivering training to 5,000 Airmen, 125 company-grade officers, and eight international students across nine major commands and 14 partner nations within the Security Forces enterprise. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 2001 before medically retiring as a master sergeant in 2014.

Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Marc Sasseville was the 12th National Guard Bureau vice chief, where he assisted the chief of the NGB in performing duties as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1985. He has held squadron, group, wing and numbered air force commands. He also served as the senior defense official and defense attaché to Turkey. Prior to becoming VCNGB, he served as the commander, Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and First Air Force, Air and Space Forces Northern, headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.

Col. Sarah Brehm Col. Sarah Brehm is the commander of Cadet Group 1 at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. She guides military, leadership, character development, and expeditionary skills training for a 1,000-member cadet group in addition to providing facilities and logistical support. Prior to her current position, she was a senior research analyst at the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE), Global Shaping Division, Pentagon, Washington D.C. She served as the commander of the 34th Special Operations Squadron (SOS) located at Hurlburt Field, Fla. Employing U-28A aircraft, she was responsible for global special operations taskings as the Air Force component member of the United States Special Operations Command. She is a 2004 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and has spent most of her career in special operations aviation assignments. She is a command pilot with over 4,000 hours of flight experience in the DA-20, T-6A, T-1A, C-21A, and U-28A.

Col. John Blocher is the commander of the 93d Air Ground Operations Wing at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1999, where he later became a senior pilot in the A/OA-10 “Warthog” and the AT-38. He has over 1,500 flying hours, with 150 of those as combat hours in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM. His accomplishments earned him the Bronze Star for heroism and the Air Force Commendation Medal with Valor. Prior to his assignment at Moody AFB, he was the commander of the 1st Air Support Operations Group at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. He is married to Ms. Jamie Hatch. They have three sons: Cole, Cooper, and Jack, who is currently a cadet at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Capt. (Ret.) Charlie Plumb is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a jet fighter pilot who flew 74 successful combat missions in Vietnam. On his 75th mission, just five days before the end of his tour, he was shot down, captured, and spent 2,103 days as a prisoner of war in communist prison camps, enduring torture. Captain Plumb has shared his story of survival in over 5,000 presentations to audiences in every state and 24 foreign countries. He and his wife, Susan, have four children and four grandchildren.

Col. Justin “Astro” Elliott is the division chief for NORAD and USNORTHCOM’s Integrated Operations Division at Peterson Space Force Base, Colo. In this role, he supervises 200 operators from nine U.S. and Canadian military branches, overseeing the execution of current and future NORAD and USNORTHCOM operations across all domains. He has previously served in F-15E and F-35 squadrons as an instructor pilot and evaluator, as a Weapons Instructor and Operational Test Pilot in the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron, and as an Experimental Test Pilot in the 40th Flight Test Squadron, 96th Test Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla. Col. Elliott commanded the 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Nellis AFB, Nev., where he led the test and evaluation of the F-35, F-22, F-15EX, F-15E, F-16, and A-10. More recently, he served as commander of the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, leading the team through 150 air shows across 70 U.S. and international cities while flying his F-16 mere inches apart from others at speeds exceeding 600 mph.

Maj. Andrea “Mystique” Moffett Maj. Andrea “Mystique” Moffett is the chief of standardization and evaluation at the 94th Flying Training Squadron, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. As an evaluator pilot in the TG-16A and TG-17A, she oversees the evaluation of 250 instructor pilots, ensuring the accuracy and compliance of multiple flight publications that support 15,000 annual sorties, 10 course syllabi, and 54 qualifications and certifications. Maj. Moffett commissioned through the U.S. Air Force Academy in June 2016. Following commissioning, she served as a military training officer at the Academy’s Preparatory School before completing undergraduate pilot training, flying the T-6A and TH-1H. She subsequently flew the UH-1N “Huey” at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo. She has served as aircraft commander and instructor, with additional roles as standards and evaluation liaison officer, group executive officer, and chief of training. Maj. Moffett has accumulated over 700 flight hours in the UH-1N, many in support of Operation GLOBAL CITADEL.

Lt. Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers was selected by NASA to join the 2021 astronaut candidate class and reported for duty in January 2022. A Colorado native, she graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and later earned a master’s degree in computational and applied mathematics from Rice University in Houston. As an instructor in both the T-38A and F-22 Raptor, Lt. Col. Ayers has flown missions across the nation and internationally. On her first spaceflight, she served as the pilot of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission, spending 146 days as a flight engineer during Expeditions 72 and 73, and completed one spacewalk totaling 5 hours and 44 minutes.

Gen. (Ret.) Austin Scott Miller served more than 38 years in the United States Army. Most recently, he was the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan. A graduate of the United States Military Academy, he has held key leadership roles including commanding general of the U.S. Army Maneuver Center at Fort Benning, commander of the Joint Special Operations Command, and commander of assault forces in Mogadishu during Operation GOTHIC SERPENT. Gen. Miller’s awards include two Combat Infantryman Badges, two Purple Hearts, the Silver Star, and 20 Overseas Service Bars, reflecting more than 10 years deployed in combat zones. In 2023, he was named a Distinguished Graduate of West Point and received the Richard M. Helms Award from the CIA Memorial Foundation. In 2025, he was inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame. In retirement, he serves as a senior fellow for the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point and as an ambassador for a veteran and first responders non-profit.

Maj. Kaz “Dexter” Moffett serves as executive officer and senior instructor of physics in the Physics and Meteorology Department at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. He commissioned into the Air Force in 2015 through the U.S. Air Force Academy and earned a Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 2017. At the Academy, Maj. Moffett contributed to research in the development of sulfur-doped silicon for solar technology and infrared detection. His graduate thesis focused on the initial characterization of hydrothermally grown single-crystal thorium dioxide, supporting the development of a proprietary solid-state neutron detector. Following graduation from AFIT, he completed ICBM REACT Initial Skills Training at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., earning academic distinction. He then served in the 321st Missile Squadron at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo., as missileer, crew commander, mission lead, and instructor. Selected for the U.S. Air Force Weapons School at Nellis AFB, Nev., he later joined the 319th Missile Squadron as training flight commander, chief of weapons and tactics and squadron weapons officer.

Col. Paul J. Brehm is the division chief for future operations at Headquarters, U.S. Air Force Academy. His previous assignments include executive officer for the principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for special operations, special assistant to the vice commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, and commander of the 8th Special Operations Squadron, then the largest CV-22 squadron in the Air Force.

A native of Madison, Wisconsin, Brehm is a 2004 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he was a four-year letter winner and captain of the men’s swimming team. He has accumulated more than 3,600 hours of flying time, including 1,400 hours of combat time, as an instructor pilot in the CV-22B, evaluator pilot in the U-28A, and wingman in the F-16CJ. Brehm is married to Col. Sarah Brehm, commander of Cadet Group 1, and they have two children, Henry and Hannah.

Col. (Ret.) Gail Benjamin Colvin, is the former chief of staff and chief business officer at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs. In these roles, she oversaw the Academy’s 550-person staff, managed a $450 million budget, and supported both commissioning and university missions, as well as the installation’s 10,000-member workforce and $9 billion in infrastructure. Her 30-year military career includes command at the squadron and group levels, as well as key assignments with the Joint Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, and as chief of joint doctrine for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. She also led the U.S. delegation to the NATO subcommittee on Allied Joint Doctrine.

A Brooklyn, New York, native and 1980 Academy graduate—the first class with women—Colvin serves on several government and community boards in Colorado, including the Colorado Federal Executive Board and the Colorado Springs Black Advisory Council. She has been recognized with the 2007 USO Military Leadership Award, NAACP’s 2008 Roy Wilkins Award and the Academy’s 2020 Distinguished Graduate Award.

Senior Master Sgt. Israel “DT” Del Toro, Jr.’s’ life has been shaped by perseverance and devotion to family. Orphaned as a young teenager, he became the provider for his siblings, honoring his father’s dying wish to always care for family. Del Toro’s Air Force service was marked by extraordinary resilience—after a devastating combat injury left him with severe burns and a 15 percent chance of survival, he endured countless surgeries and intensive recovery to not only return to duty, but also become the first 100% disabled Airman to re-enlist.

Del Toro’s determination inspired many as he set world records and earned a gold medal at the 2016 Invictus Games. Today, he shares his story nationwide, helping others find hope and strength through adversity.

Master Sgt. (Ret.) George E. Vera, retired, entered the U.S. Army in 1995 and completed his initial training as an infantryman that year. He went on to serve in the Scout Platoon, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division (Light) and later with the Long Range Surveillance Detachment, 311th Military Intelligence Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). After graduating from the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2002, Vera was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), where he served in a range of leadership roles and deployed multiple times to Kuwait, Wake Island, Thailand, Colombia and Afghanistan.

On his fifth deployment to Afghanistan in August 2015, Vera was severely wounded during a gun battle while defending his camp from insurgents. Despite a T-12 spinal cord injury, he has dedicated himself to recovery and adaptive sports, earning gold medals as part of the U.S. team at the Invictus Games and participating in Warrior Games and multiple handcycle races. He serves as a team captain for several adaptive sports teams and is active in wheelchair basketball, track and field, and swimming. Vera is married with three daughters and enjoys spending time with his family and his two dogs, Bronco and Denali.

Workshop | Leveraging the Martial Way This workshop explores Judo and Taekwondo as martial traditions connected to military training and leadership development. Instead of focusing on sport, the session examines martial arts as disciplines that build judgment, emotional regulation, adaptability and confidence under pressure. Through discussion and examples, participants will analyze principles like balance, controlled force, mutual respect and disciplined practice, and consider how physical training complements technical and intellectual education. The workshop reframes martial arts as laboratories for leadership, character and decision-making in high-stakes environments.

Workshop | Task Force Hope Task Force Hope gives participants practical tools to prepare for, lead through and recover from crisis and moral injury. Developed over 15 years, it evolved from a Squadron Officer School paper to a proven resource used by more than 2,000 Air Force captains, Air War College students and various military units. Participants frequently say, “Why didn’t I hear this earlier in my career?”

Workshop | Leveraging the Martial Way This workshop explores Judo and Taekwondo as martial traditions connected to military training and leadership development. Instead of focusing on sport, the session examines martial arts as disciplines that build judgment, emotional regulation, adaptability and confidence under pressure. Through discussion and examples, participants will analyze principles like balance, controlled force, mutual respect and disciplined practice, and consider how physical training complements technical and intellectual education. The workshop reframes martial arts as laboratories for leadership, character and decision-making in high-stakes environments.

Workshop | Task Force Hope Task Force Hope gives participants practical tools to prepare for, lead through and recover from crisis and moral injury. Developed over 15 years, it evolved from a Squadron Officer School paper to a proven resource used by more than 2,000 Air Force captains, Air War College students and various military units. Participants frequently say, “Why didn’t I hear this earlier in my career?”

Workshop | From War Stories to Warrior Narratives This workshop explores how writing personal narratives can strengthen self-awareness, values and aspirations by connecting past experiences to present challenges and future goals. Unlike a simple story, a narrative is a deliberate account with a clear structure that helps organize one’s development. Warrior narratives provide important examples of moral and physical courage.

Workshop | Task Force Hope Task Force Hope gives participants practical tools to prepare for, lead through and recover from crisis and moral injury. Developed over 15 years, it evolved from a Squadron Officer School paper to a proven resource used by more than 2,000 Air Force captains, Air War College students and various military units. Participants frequently say, “Why didn’t I hear this earlier in my career?”

Gen. Dan Caine is the 22nd Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the nation’s highest ranking military officer and the principal military advisor to the President, Secretary of Defense and National Security Council.

Prior to becoming Chairman on April 11, 2025, Gen. Caine was the Associate Director for Military Affairs at Central Intelligence Agency.

Gen. Caine has served in a wide range of operational, staff and joint assignments, primarily as an F-16 fighter pilot, weapons officer, member of the White House staff and special operations officer.

Gen. Caine was commissioned in 1990 through the ROTC program at the Virginia Military Institute, and he has a Master of Arts in Air Warfare from the American Military University. He has completed a range of national security and leadership courses, including Harvard Kennedy School’s course for Senior Executives in National and International Security and the Syracuse University Maxwell School’s Program on National Security. As a Command Pilot, he has logged more than 2,800 hours in the F-16, including more than 150 combat hours. From 2009-2016, Caine was a part-time member of the National Guard and a serial entrepreneur and investor.

As commander of U.S. Space Force Combat Forces Command, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, he is responsible for over 12,000 Guardians and Airmen who are focused on generating, presenting and sustaining U.S. Space Force combat-ready space control, global operations and combat service support forces. As the USSF service force provider, he is responsible to the Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Space Operations for sourcing, training, certifying and assessing the readiness of America’s Space Forces to execute service and combatant commander-assigned missions.

Gagnon was commissioned through ROTC at Saint Michael’s College in Winooski, Vermont. He is a career intelligence officer with an extensive background in cyberspace operations. Gagnon has commanded at the squadron, group and joint wing levels with one command tour in Afghanistan. He is a fully qualified Joint Staff Officer. His tours include Pacific Air Forces, Air Force Space Command, Air Combat Command, U.S. Strategic Command and U.S. Space Command. Gagnon has deployed on multiple occasions in support of joint air and special operations.

Gen. Ken Wilsbach is the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. As Chief, he serves as the senior uniformed Air Force officer responsible for organizing, training and equipping approximately 665,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces serving in the United States and overseas. As a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the general and other service chiefs function as military advisers to the Secretary of War, National Security Council and the President.

Gen. Wilsbach commissioned in 1985 as a distinguished graduate of the University of Florida’s ROTC program and earned his pilot wings in 1986 as a distinguished graduate from Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. He has commanded a fighter squadron, operations group, two wings, two numbered air forces, two major commands and held various staff assignments including Director of Operations, Combined Air Operations Center and Director of Operations, U.S. Central Command.

Gen. Wilsbach is a command pilot with more than 6,200 hours in multiple aircraft, primarily in the F-15C, F-16C, MC-12 and F-22A, and has flown 71 combat missions in operations Northern Watch, Southern Watch and Enduring Freedom.

Chief Master Sgt. David R. Wolfe is the 21st Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force and serves as the highest enlisted member of the Air Force. He is the Senior Enlisted Leader and primary adviser to both the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the Air Force on standards, readiness, training, professional development, and effective utilization for more than 665,000 Total

Force Airmen. Additionally, Chief Wolfe represents the service’s interests to the American public and to all levels of government. Chief Wolfe entered the Air Force in February 1992 as a Security Forces Airman. He has extensive experience in professional military education, serving as both an instructor and commandant. During his career, he has been a Command Chief at two wings, one Numbered Air Force, and two major commands. His contingency operations experience includes tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force John F. Bentivegna serves at the highest enlisted level of leadership and provides direction for the enlisted force representing their interests to the American public and to those in all levels of government. He acts as the personal advisor to the Chief of Space Operations and the Secretary of the Air Force on all issues regarding the welfare, readiness, morale, proper utilization, and development of the U.S. Space Force.

Bentivegna entered the United States Air Force in 1994 and has served in both Maintenance and Space Operations career fields. He has held positions at the squadron, division, group, wing, Numbered Air Force, Field Command and Headquarters Air and Space Force levels and served as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief Operations Officer and as the Enlisted Space Systems Operations Career Field Manager, Headquarters Space Force, Arlington, Virginia.

Bentivegna entered the United States Space Force on Sept. 1, 2020.

Master Sgt. Selina Ortega serves as the Executive Assistant to the Air Force Reserve Command Chief Master Sergeant, Air Force Reserve Command, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. She is the primary administrative and logistical support for highest-ranking enlisted member of the Air Force Reserve and a key advisor to the Chief of the Air Force Reserve. Additionally, she is the Program Manager for the Development and Training Flight, having oversight of 39 Coordinators and all enlisted accessions prior to their completion of formal pipeline training.

Ortega entered the Air Force in January 2013, serving as a Security Forces Apprentice. She graduated from Mental Health Technical Training School in August 2017. Her background includes all aspects of Mental Health Services, to include serving as a Sexual Assault Volunteer Victim Witness Advocate. Ortega led multiple initiatives that developed clinical and administrative opportunities for Mental Health Services personnel at Westover Air Reserve Base, Massachusetts. Prior to her current assignment, she was a Military Training Instructor for Basic Military Training, where she held numerous roles. She served as an Instructor, Instructor Trainer, the Executive Assistant to the Senior Enlisted Leader of the 737th Training Group, a Master Military Training Instructor, and an Evaluator for the Standardization and Evaluations Flight.

Tech Sgt. Matthew C. Sanders is the Noncommissioned Officer in Charge of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Equipment Section at the 19th Civil Engineer Squadron, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. He leads a team of four Airmen responsible for managing seven mobility equipment accounts and three munitions accounts with a total value of $15.2 million. Additionally, he oversees the storage and security protocols for classified materials and explosives, ensuring the rapid deployment of EOD technicians for an average of 45 off-base unexploded ordnance responses each year.

Sanders entered the Air Force in February 2011. After graduating from Basic Military Training, he attended Basic Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning School, completing it in December 2011. His first assignment was at Osan Air Base (AB) in the Republic of Korea, where he served as an HVAC Technician. He later completed another assignment at Aviano Air Base in Italy in the same role. In May 2016, he cross-trained into the EOD Pipeline and graduated from the Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal School in January 2017. Prior to his current assignment, he served as the Noncommissioned Officer in Charge of EOD Equipment at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Staff Sgt. Eleanor Rose Warren is a Geospatial Analyst for the 192d Intelligence Squadron at Joint Base Langley‐Eustis, Va. She is responsible for exploiting and analyzing multi‐sensor imagery and geospatial data. Sergeant Warren analyzes terrain and structures to determine usability and possible threats. She utilizes maps to determine location and distance from target and prepares and presents intelligence reports. Sergeant Warren compiles and maintains imagery and target folders.

Warren entered the Virginia Air National Guard in December 2020. She graduated from the Geospatial Analysis Course at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas in May 2022. Upon completion of initial active‐duty training, SSgt Warren served as a drill status guardsman for a year, including serving as the additional duty squadron physical training leader. She was later selected to deploy with the Bilateral Intelligence Analysis Cell where she exploited full motion video alongside the Japan Self‐Defense Forces and the Royal Australian Air Force.

Senior Airman Roman Bereguta is Cadet Candidate at the United States Air Force Academy Preparatory School, Colorado. Previously he served as a Certification Team Lead, 21st Comptroller Squadron, Space Base Delta 1, headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado. He oversaw a 4-member team providing Financial Support to the USSF’s largest installation budget and to more than 18,400 military, Department of Defense civilians and contractor personnel serving at 23 operating locations worldwide.

Bereguta entered the Air Force in June 2022. He completed the “Financial Apprentice Course” at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi in October of 2022. He has also deployed in support of Operation Atlas Guardian as the lead tri-lingual interpreter for Task Force Grey Wolf, General Officer advisor and leader of Early Tactical Ballistic Missile Warning System. During the deployment, he was selected as personal interpreter for Chief Master Seargeant of the Ukrainian Air Force, Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and briefed US Congressional Delegation. SrA Bereguta was also by name requested as sole linguist in support of Security Assistance Group – Ukraine, NATO Special Operations Task Force and other classified missions.

Miller is a songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee. He has had 18 top 20 singles with 7 reaching #1. His songs have reached radio play over 25 million spins with streaming numbers reaching into the hundreds of millions. He won both a CMA and an ACM award for Song of the Year with “In Color”. “You’re Gonna Miss This” won Song of the Year at both the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and Nashville Songwriters Association awards and single of the year at the CMA awards. His accomplishments include 3 Grammy nominations, a teen choice award, 13 BMI awards and 4 nominations for ‘Song of the Year’. Miller has also been given four “Songs I Wish I Had Written” trophies as voted on by the professional membership of NSAI. Miller has had success as a record producer with a pair of top 20 hits for artist Steve Holy including his #1 record “Brand New Girlfriend” He recently cowrote Scotty McCreery’s “It Matters To Her”.

Nichols has over two dozen smash hits, a Grammy, a CMA Award, and two Academy of Country Music awards for Song of the Year, as well as being a member of the Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame. He co-wrote Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You Were Dying,” the ten week #1 smash that won every major song award presented for country music. Other Nichols’ hits, “Heads Carolina, Tails California,” and “Cowboys and Angels” helped launch the careers of Jo Dee Messina and Dustin Lynch. Chris Young topped the charts for three weeks with the Nichols/Brett James composition “The Man I Want To Be.” In 2022, Cole Swindell put a new twist on the Heads Carolina classic, staying at the top of the country charts for 5 weeks and winning the Academy of Country Music Song of the Year Award. Nichols’ recently collaborated with Top and his record producer on “I Never Lie”–Top’s first song to reach the top of the country charts, as well as receive a CMA nomination for Song of the Year and a Grammy nomination for Best Country Song.