February 25, 2025

Cadets develop airmindedness in soaring program

U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet 1st Class Ruth Anand prepares for her flight in her TG-16A sailplane at Davis Airfield, July 30, 2024. In the Academy’s soaring program, cadets develop critical skills such as communication, leadership, decision-making and situational awareness through hands-on glider experience. (U.S. Air Force photo by Trevor Cokley) By Randy Roughton U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – The U.S. Air Force Academy Soaring Program introduces cadets to airmanship principles, airmindedness and the fundamentals of flight. Through hands-on glider experience in the TG-16A sailplane, cadets develop critical skills such as communication, leadership,...

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February 26, 2025

From cadet to missileer to mentor: shaping future leaders

Maj. Kaz “Dexter” Moffett, U.S. Air Force Academy Physics instructor, poses for a photo at the Academy, Colo., Feb. 12, 2025. Moffett, a 2014 Academy graduate, served as a missileer and weapons officer where he gained extensive operational experience with the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile system before returning to the Academy as an instructor. (U.S. Air Force photo by Trevor Cokley) By Mackenzie Mendez U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Returning to the U.S. Air Force Academy as an instructor in the Department of Physics and Meteorology has been more than just a...

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March 11, 2025

Cadets test warfighter readiness in spring CULEX

U.S. Air Force Academy cadets conduct the 2025 Spring Culminating Exercise opening ceremony at the Academy, Colo., March 5, 2025. This exercise marks a significant shift from previous iterations, serving as a test of concept for future training exercises. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ray Bahner) By Mackenzie Mendez U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – U.S. Air Force Academy cadets took on the rigorous Spring 2025 Culminating Exercise (CULEX), an essential training event designed to enhance their warfighter readiness and leadership skills, March 5-8. This year’s exercise marks a significant shift from previous iterations,...

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March 14, 2025

New self-help store serves cadets

Cadet 4th Class Eden Hewes, U-Fix-It store customer, drives a screw into her wardrobe to repair a latch, at Vandenberg Hall, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo., Jan. 14, 2025. U-Fix-It is a new self-help store at Sijan Hall and is open to all cadets and Academy personnel to support minor maintenance and repair issues. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Zach Vaughn) By Tech. Sgt. Zach Vaughn U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – The Academy’s 10th Civil Engineer Squadron recently opened a self-help store in Sijan Hall. Dubbed “U-Fix-It,” Academy leadership intends for...

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April 2, 2025

CATM renovations enhance training efficiency, safety

The U.S. Air Force Academy’s 10th Security Forces Squadron Combat Arms Training and Maintenance (CATM) facility recently underwent extensive renovations, significantly improving operational efficiency, training capacity, and safety. These upgrades, completed ahead of schedule, have transformed how CATM conducts weapons training, supporting Academy personnel and regional military and law enforcement agencies. (U.S. Air Force photo by Dylan Smith) By Mackenzie Mendez U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – The U.S. Air Force Academy’s 10th Security Forces Squadron Combat Arms Training and Maintenance (CATM) facility recently underwent extensive renovations, significantly improving operational efficiency, training capacity, and...

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April 7, 2025

Arctic research examines impact on operational readiness

Cadets 2nd Class Anna Bardorf, Emma Bingen and Jordan Martinez stand with Cadets 1st Class Billie Botes, Colby Deleeuw and Kelsey Monaghan-Bergson on the Turnagain Arm Scenic Boardwalk at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in Anchorage, Nov. 28, 2024. The U.S. Air Force Academy Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership’s Yukon Field School trip taught the cadets to identify potential challenges for future warrior leaders assigned to the region. (Courtesy photo provided by Capt. Samantha Van Cleave) By Randy Roughton U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – As global interest in the Arctic escalates, the...

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January 2, 2025

Cadet 1st Class Luca Valenti selected for Holaday Scholarship

Cadet 1st Class Luca Valenti will pursue two years of graduate studies at Exeter College at Oxford University in Oxford, England, as the recipient of the 2024 Holaday Scholarship. U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet 1st Class Luca Valenti, Class of 2025, has been selected for the Holaday Scholarship, a fully-funded 2-year postgraduate program in the United Kingdom. After graduating from the Academy in 1965, Bart Holaday spent two years as a Rhodes Scholar at Exeter College at Oxford University. He and his late wife, Lynn, created the Holaday...

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April 8, 2025

Cadet Wing commander promotes warrior ethos

U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Wing Commander Cadet 1st Class Joseph Tschetter takes command of the Cadet Wing on the Terrazzo, Jan. 3, 2025. As the Academy’s highest-ranking cadet, Tschetter is instrumental in cadet development as warrior leaders. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ray Bahner) By Randy Roughton U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – As Cadet Wing commander, Cadet 1st Class Joseph Tschetter connects cadets with U.S. Air Force Academy command staff to foster military excellence and warrior ethos. Additionally, the Academy’s highest-ranking cadet supports the Cadet Wing’s development into warfighters prepared to tackle...

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April 15, 2025

Leading with strategy: Shaping cadets for the complexities of tomorrow

Lt. Col. Emily Bulger, U.S. Air Force Academy Department of Management assistant professor, blends real-world leadership with research-backed teaching practices to prepare the next generation of officers. A 2005 Academy graduate, Bulger considers her return to the Academy as a professor a natural continuation of her journey in leadership and service. (U.S. Air Force photo by Dylan Smith) By Mackenzie Mendez U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Whether commanding a finance squadron or leading cadets through business simulations, Lt. Col. Emily Bulger brings strategic depth and operational competency to everything she does. As an...

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April 24, 2025

Engineering the future: Professor bridges innovation, leadership in the classroom

Dr. Brian Johns, U.S. Air Force Academy Department of Mechanical Engineering assistant professor, is helping shape the next generation of U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force leaders by combining technical rigor with mentorship and mission relevance. From building virtual-reality surgical simulators to developing artificial intelligence-driven tools for engineering design, Johns has always worked at the forefront of innovation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Trevor Cokley) By Mackenzie Mendez U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – From building virtual-reality surgical simulators to developing artificial intelligence-driven tools for engineering design, Dr. Brian Johns has always worked...

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