October 12, 2017

This is why the Air Force Academy is leading the way in space

By Mark Kuykendall / Oct. 12, 2017 U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, COLO – The United States Air Force Academy is developing leaders who will operate at the cutting edge of warfare technology, and who are prepared for a modern battlefield where space is a critical warfighting domain. Here are five numbers that show how the Academy is leading the way in space, and into an increasingly complex future of innovation and discovery: 2: Number of Academy cadets named Rhodes Scholars after completing the FalconSAT senior capstone engineering program. “The FalconSAT experience is invaluable to the development of future Air Force leaders,”...

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October 16, 2017

Don’t be fooled: It’s time for winter safety

This year's snow routes at the U.S. Air Force Academy are shown here. (10th Civil Engineering Squadron graphic) By John Sutherland, Oct. 20, 2017 U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- Last year, more than 58 inches of snow fell on the Air Force Academy. We all need to be ready for winter as the Front Range weather can change quickly. The most important element of safe winter driving is adjusting our driving habits to match the weather and road conditions. The No. 1 safety tip is to reduce your speed by at least 10 mph when road conditions are hazardous...

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October 18, 2017

Roadrunners on ‘Cloud 9’ after Commandant’s Challenge win

By Maureen Welch, Oct. 18, 2017 U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- Cadet Squadron 32’s “Roadrunners” beat-out the competition to win the annual Commandant’s Challenge this month. The annual competition took place Oct. 12-14, pitting the 40 squadrons against each other. “The Roadrunners are on ‘Cloud 9” after their win,” said Master Sgt. John Phillips, an academy military trainer at the squadron. “They took the top spot with points to spare.” Senior cadet and “Roadrunner” Michelle Ingle, said CS-32 was unified in its desire to take first place. “We knew we had to be on the same page to get things...

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October 20, 2017

U.S. Air Force Academy combines USAFA Assembly, International Week

By Ray Bowden, Oct. 20, 2017 U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- Geopolitics was the hot topic this week when the Air Force Academy combined two high-level annual events. Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Jay Silveria said the U.S. Air Force Academy Assembly and International Week were combined to benefit cadets. “This is the first time we’ve brought all this together,” Silveria said to cadets, guest speakers and faculty, Oct. 18 in Exemplar Hall. “The combination allows for beneficial synergistic effects.” One effect, Silveria said, is that officers from other countries attending International Week can take part in Assembly discussions. “It’s a...

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October 23, 2017

Astronaut shares space experience with cadets

By Ray Bowden, Oct. 23, 2017 U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- How great is the view of Earth from space? In the words of one astronaut Oct. 20, “Absolutely spectacular.” “It’s a vibrant blue and white globe sitting in inky blackness,” said Kjell Lindgren, a 1995 graduate of the Air Force Academy with 141 days in space under his belt. Lindgren spent six months on the International Space Station with his ISS program partners completing dozens of scientific experiments in low-flight orbit. He said the highlight of his time in space was also his most challenging: stepping outside the ship...

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October 31, 2017

How the Air Force Academy’s Aeronautics Department Innovates

(Col. John Cinnamon/U.S. Air Force photo) Interview by Marsha Barancik, Oct. 30, 2017 U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- In the last decade, the Air Force Academy’s Aeronautics Department, with the support of the $125 million Aeronautics Research Center/Aeronautics Lab and the High Performance Computing Research Center, has transformed itself from a traditional academic program into a unique modeling center that accelerates the development of innovative aeronautics solutions for U.S. military and other federal agencies. Col John Cinnamon, Permanent Professor and Head of the Department of Aeronautics shares how it enables cadets to reinforce warfighter capabilities. MB: How is the...

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November 1, 2017

Academy firefighters douse competition to take ‘World’s Best’ title

By Laurie Wilson, Nov. 1, 2017 U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- Firefighters assigned to the Air Force Academy beat the competition at the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge XXVI Worlds, Oct. 27 in Louisville, Kentucky. The annual challenge promotes physical fitness among firefighters and demonstrates the physical and mental stress firefighters can face on the job. Competing firefighters were protective suits and breathing apparatus while climbing a 5-story tower, dragging hoses and a 175-pound "victim" and racing against their opponents. The Over-40 relay team of 10th Civil Engineering Squadron firefighters Hans Barkley, Roy Dalton, Anthony McMurtry, Pat Kraft, and Fire Chief...

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November 1, 2017

Human-machine research teaches cadets design, human factors, culture

Jenn Kuster, U.S. Air Force Academy Dean of Faculty research publicist, Oct. 31, 2017 U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — The idea of an endearing, interactive and witty robot companion may elicit nostalgic flashbacks of Rosie and the Jetsons, but this is not 2062 and the star of the show is not a two-dimensional robot maid. The year is 2017 and autonomous systems are penetrating societies around the world: from self-driving vehicles and robot waiters in restaurants to robot wingmen flying alongside human pilots. Indeed, the United States Air Force’s vision is for humans and robots to partner as teammates for...

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November 3, 2017

Simon Sinek, popular thought leader, helps USAFA find its ‘why’

Simon Sinek addresses audience in Arnold Hall. (U.S. Air Force Academy photo) By Laurie Wilson, Nov. 3, 2017 U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY --  At first handshake, his grin and the twinkle of genuine curiosity in his eyes grab you. He engages immediately and makes you his focus. You know you matter. His voice cadence invites you to simply chat with him. So you quickly relax. Don’t let the casual nature fool you. You aren’t just trading small-talk with the neighbor. You’re hanging with a real thought leader. Simon Sinek is regarded as an innovative visionary with unconventional intellectual views on...

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November 3, 2017

Close air support demo at USAFA shows capabilities

By Maureen Welch, Nov. 3, 2017 U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --Thousands of cadets and visitors at the Air Force Academy didn’t have to go overseas Nov. 3 to get a look at combat operations. All they had to do was look up. They got to see a close air support demonstration that included Joint Terminal Attack Controllers directing “flyovers” by two A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft and two F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft above the Terrazzo. Cadets 2nd Class Logan Frost and A.J. Miller watched the noisy demo from outside Vandenberg Hall. “The A-10s are awesome,” Frost said. “The F-16 was...

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