Recognition Days

Cadet freshmen Ben Register, Kevin Dwyer, Evan Barger and Hank Binzer of Cadet Squadron 33 shoulder the weight of their Squadron's charge and await instructions March 12, 2010 at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. Recognition is an annual set of events that culminate in the freshmen being welcomed into the ranks of the upper class cadets. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rachel Boettcher)

Recognition Days

Cadet junior Lamin Jackson commands the attention of a group of freshman during Recognition Days at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Colo., March 12, 2010 . Recognition consists of several days of wing and squadron-run trainings, events, and ceremonies, and concludes with the freshmen receiving the Prop and Wings insignia, signifying their acceptance into the ranks of upper class cadets. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rachel Boettcher)

Recognition Days

Rows of sneakers and other items are lined up on the U.S.Air Force Academy's Terrazzo while their owners participate in the annual recognition events at the Academy March 12, 2010. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rachel Boettcher)

Tom Whitney

01 MAY 2009: The Mountain West Men's Golf Tournament at the Omni Tucson Golf Course in Tucson, AZ. Trevor Brown, Jr./Rich Clarkson & Associates

Class of 2013: 'Recognition granted'

Cadets 4th Class Matthew Schuetz, Caleb Belden and William Hicks of Cadet Squadron 18 recite information about the F-15 Eagle while performing push-ups during Recognition at the U.S. Air Force Academy March 12, 2010. Recognition is a series of military, physical and mental exercises that culminate with freshmen achieving upperclassman status. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rachel Boettcher)

Academy kicks off Women's History Month

Master Sgt. Angela Zurun examines a Women's History Month display at the Air Force Academy March 4, 2010. The Academy kicked off its month-long observance with a presentation by retired Chief Master Sgt. Linda Matthews and Academy Command Chief Master Sgt. Todd Salzman. Sergeant Zurun is assigned to the 10th Medical Support Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan)

Academy celebrates annual award winners

Retired Maj. Gen. Irving Halter Jr. speaks at the Air Force Academy Annual Awards Banquet March 6, 2010. General Halter was the Academy's vice superintendent from June 2005 to September 2006. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rachel Boettcher)

Academy celebrates annual award winners

The winners of the 2009 Air Force Academy Awards are (left to right): Capt. Michelle Ruehl (company grade officer), Staff Sgt. Michael Clinkscales (NCO), Pamela Batzel (civilian category I), Erich Hoffmann (civilian category II), Senior Master Sgt. Roderick Schwald (first sergeant), Senior Airman Jessica Morehouse (Airman), Master Sgt. Robert Pemberton (senior NCO), Maj. Robert Bonner (Honor Guard officer), Staff Sgt. Michiyo Litynski (Honor Guard NCO), Master Sgt. Lissy Slezak (Honor Guard senior NCO) and Senior Airman Nhan Le (Honor Guard Airman). Not pictured is Keith Butala, the civilian category III winner. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rachel Boettcher)

Former Academy superintendent, POW, dies

Lt. Gen. A.P. Clark was the U.S. Air Force Academy's sixth superintendent from Aug. 1, 1970 to July 1974. During World War II, he was shot down over Abeville, France and spent 33 months as a prisoner of war. A resident of Colorado Springs, Colo. General Clark died on March 8, 2010 at the age of 96.

Gen. Born shares perspective on women at USAFA

Brig. Gen. Dana Born speaks to a group of cadets, including Cadet 3rd Class Erika Martin from Cadet Squadron 08, during a visit to the Academy's Unmanned Aerial System-Remotely Piloted Aircraft training program at Fort Carson July 23, 2009. General Born is a 1983 graduate of the Academy and the first female dean of the faculty. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan)

Cadets seek method to improve combat airdrops

Cadets 1st Class Mark Hammond, Jeff Reddout, Lucas Catalino and Philip Husk examine a dropsonde at the 731st Airlift Squadron at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., Feb. 9, 2010. The cadets are part of the Spring 2010 Aeronautical Engineering 482 class on aircraft design. A core element of their course is the feasibility of deploying a dropsonde via a remotely piloted aircraft to increase airdrop accuracy. (U.S. Air Force photo/John Van Winkle)

NCLS speakers share perspectives on leadership

Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley talks to Air Force Academy cadets about the nature of service in the Arnold Hall Theater Feb. 19, 2010, during the National Character and Leadership Symposium. The secretary was one of 17 keynote speakers for the two-day event; others included veterans of the Battle of Roberts Ridge as well as Baseball Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda and former NFL head coach Brian Billick. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rachel Boettcher)

Colo. house speaker visits Academy

Second Lt. Tasia Tindle introduces Colorado Rep. Terrance Carroll at a Black History Month Luncheon held at the U.S. Air Force Academy's Falcon Club Feb. 22, 2010. Mr. Carroll, the speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives, was the guest speaker for the luncheon. Lieutenant Tindle is a readiness officer with the 10th Force Support Squadron and a graduate of Louisiana State University. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan)

Colo. house speaker visits Academy

Chaplain (Capt.) Laserian Nwoga performs an invocation at the Black History Month Luncheon at the U.S. Air Force Academy's Falcon Club Feb. 22, 2010. Colorado Rep. Terrance Carroll, the speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives, was the luncheon's guest speaker. Chaplain Nwoga is assigned to the 10th Air Base Wing Chapel. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan)

Tuskegee Airmen recall Air Corps, Air Force experiences

Cadet Candidate Indigo Blakely meets with Samuel Hunter Jr. and retired Lt. Col. Lowell Bell during a Tuskegee Airmen presentation at the Air Force Academy Base Exchange Feb. 16, 2010. Mr. Hunter is an original Tuskegee Airman; Colonel Bell and retired Chief Master Sgt. Loran Smith (not pictured) are second-generation Tuskegee Airmen who visited the Academy in celebration of Black History Month. Cadet Candidate Blakely is a student at the Academy Preparatory School. (U.S. Air Force photo/Johnny Wilson)

Tuskegee Airmen recall Air Corps, Air Force experiences

Samuel Hunter Jr. autographs a "red tail" P-51 Mustang for Capt. Richard Clark at the Air Force Academy's Base Exchange Feb. 16, 2010. Mr. Hunter, one of the original Tuskegee Airmen, visited the Academy along with retired Lt. Col. Lowell Bell and retired Chief Master Sgt. Loran Smith in celebration of Black History Month. Captain Clark is a physical therapist with the Academy's 10th Medical Operations Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Johnny Wilson)

Cadets consider career options during Majors' Night

Lt. Gen. Mike Gould stops to speak with Lt. Col. Max Despain and Cadet 4th Class Erin Crain during Majors' Night at the Air Force Academy Feb. 11, 2010. General Gould is the Academy superintendent. Colonel Despain is an assistant professor with the Department of English. Cadet Crain is assigned to Cadet Squadron 38. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rachel Boettcher)

Cadets consider career options during Majors' Night

Capt. Jordan Hudak explains a display demonstrating the effects of earthquakes on buildings constructed atop soft ground to Cadet 4th Class Andrew Lankow during Majors' Night at the Air Force Academy Feb. 11, 2010. Captain Hudak is an instructor with the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Cadet Lankow is assigned to Cadet Squadron 35. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rachel Boettcher)

Cadets consider career options during Majors' Night

MAj. Elaine Bryant discusses the aeronautics major program with Cadet Candidates Jazmind Hill, Acacia Miller and Enicia Porter during Majors' Night at the Air Force Academy Feb. 11, 2010. Aeronautics is one of 32 fields of study available at the Academy. Major Bryant is an instructor with the Department of Aeronautics. The cadet candidates are students at the Academy Preparatory School. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rachel Boettcher)

Cadets consider career options during Majors' Night

Michele Fincher holds a brain for Air Force Academy cadets to examine during Majors' Night at the Academy Feb. 11, 2010. Each of the Dean of Faculty's academic departments held displays to help cadets select their fields of study. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rachel Boettcher)

Prayer luncheon guest speaker recalls wonder of space

Retired Brig. Gen. Charles Duke Jr. speaks at the Air Force Academy's National Prayer Luncheon Feb. 9, 2009, at the Academy's Falcon Club. General Duke, a former astronaut who walked on the Moon's surface, spoke about "America's Godly Heritage" to an audience of about 500. (U.S. Air Force photo/Bill Evans)

Prayer luncheon guest speaker recalls wonder of space

Retired Brig. Gen. Charles Duke Jr., right, poses for a photo with John Eck at the Air Force Academy's National Prayer Luncheon Feb. 9, 2010. General Duke, a former astronaut who walked on the Moon's surface, was the luncheon's guest speaker. Mr. Eck is a survivor of the Dec. 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. (U.S. Air Force photo/Bill Evans)

'89 Academy graduate to pilot space shuttle mission

Col. Terry Virts Jr., a 1989 graduate of the Air Force Academy, will pilot the Space Shuttle Endeavour during the STS-130 mission scheduled for Feb. 7, 2010. The mission will be NASA's 32nd to the International Space Station and Colonel Virts' first trip to space. He is an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot and test pilot with more than 3,800 flying hours and 45 combat missions. (NASA photo)

Clinic unveils 61,000 'new' square feet

Airman 1st Class Brooke Moore, center, briefs Lt. Gen. Mike Gould, Chief Master Sgt. Todd Salzman and others during a tour of the renovated Air Force Academy Clinic Jan. 22, 2010. The renovations consolidated medical services previously located at the Academy's Milazzo Community Center into the existing facility. Airman Moore is assigned to the 10th Medical Operations Squadron. General Gould is the Academy superintendent, and Chief Salzman is the Academy's command chief master sergeant. (U.S. Air Force photo/Johnny Wilson)