Clinic unveils 61,000 'new' square feet

Lt. Gen. Mike Gould (right), Col. Rick LoCastro (left) and Chief Master Sgt. Todd Salzman (center) peek into a newly renovated room in the Academy Clinic Jan. 22. The renovations to 61,000 square feet at the clinic allows the 10th Medical Group to centralize its services and provide better medical care for patients. General Gould is the Academy superintendent; Colonel LoCastro is the 10th Air Base Wing commander, and Chief Salzman is the Academy command chief master sergeant. (U.S. Air Force photo/Johnny Wilson)

Academy chapel to add outdoor circle to worship areas

Tech. Sgt. Brandon Longcrier uses white sage to consecrate a Pagan worship area on the hill overlooking the Cadet Chapel and the Visitor Center at the Air Force Academy just after sunrise on the winter solstice, Dec. 21, 2009. The chapel is scheduled to officially designate the circle as a Pagan chapel during a dedication ceremony in March 2010. Sergeant Longcrier is the Pagan lay leader at the Academy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Don Branum)

2009 Academy graduate balances Air Force and pro hockey

Second Lt. Greg Flynn poses for a photograph in Paul Tsongas Arena in Lowell, Mass., Jan. 5, 2010. Lieutenant Flynn is a contract manager at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., and also a defender for the American Hockey League's Lowell Devils. He graduated from the Air Force Academy in May 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo/1st Lt. Andrew Ramsey)

Cadets test fire FalconLaunch-8 rocket

Cadet 1st Class Stephen Renner prepares FalconLaunch-8 for test firing in Jacks Valley Jan. 15, 2010. The FalconLaunch program provides the Air Force and Department of Defense with a cost-efficient, operationally responsive method of delivering small scientific and engineering payloads into low-Earth orbit. (U.S. Air Force photo/Johnny Wilson)

Exercise tests base responders' readiness

Airman Brandon Aguirre detains a suspect during an "active shooter" exercise in the U.S. Air Force Academy's McDermott Library Jan. 20, 2010. The exercise is designed to test the Academy's response to events such as the November 2009 shooting incident at Fort Hood, Texas. Airman Aguirre is a patroller with the 10th Security Forces Squadron. Cadet 2nd Class Brett Boyce from Cadet Squadron 23 played the role of suspect. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rachel Boettcher)

Exercise tests base responders' readiness

Airman 1st Class Elizabeth Lasater clears a dormitory corridor during a readiness exercise at the Air Force Academy Jan. 20, 2010. The exercise tested the Academy's response to "active shooter" incidents such as the November 2009 incident at Fort Hood, Texas. Airman Lasater is a security forces patroller with the 10th Security Forces Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Johnny Wilson)

Exercise tests base responders' readiness

Staff Sgt. Noah McGinley, Airman 1st Class Lakeysha Jefferson and Staff Sgt. John Havlik respond to an emergency call during an "active shooter" exercise at the Air Force Academy Jan. 20, 2010. The exercise was designed to test the Academy's readiness for an incident similar to previous shooting events at Fort Hood, Texas, and Virginia Tech. The Airmen are assigned to the 10th Security Forces Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Johnny Wilson)

10th SFS establishes elite entry controllers

Airman 1st Class Lakeysha Jefferson stands watch at the Cadet Drive Entry Control Point on the Air Force Academy Jan. 20, 2010. Officials with the 10th Security Forces Squadron introduced an "elite entry controller" program in January as part of the 10th Air Base Wing's "Falcon Eyes" initiative. Airman Jefferson is a native of Dallas-Fort Worth. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Don Branum)

Wings of Blue jumps into Rose Bowl

Cadet 1st Class David Leibrand soars into the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., before the BCS National Championship game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Texas Longhorns Jan. 8. Cadet Leibrand, a member of the Wings of Blue Air Force Parachute Demonstration Team, is a native of Scobey, Mont. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Kenny Kendrick)

Cadet trades combat boots for high heels and crown

Cadet 3rd Class Katie Dials poses for a photograph during a shoot Nov. 28, 2009. Cadet Dials, an Indiana native assigned to Cadet Squadron 34, was named Miss American Teen 2010 by the National Miss American Coed Pageants. (Courtesy photo/Cadet 3rd Class Katie Dials)

New Cadet Wing commander glad he stayed

Air Force Academy Cadet 1st Class Andrew VanTimmeren observes a pass in review during a Cadet Wing noon meal formation Jan. 10, 2010, at the Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. Cadet VanTimmeren succeeded Cadet 1st Class Nathan Dial as Cadet Wing commander for the Spring 2010 semester. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ann Patton)

Academy, city responders partner for emergency coverage

Staff Sgt. Ronald Young directs traffic around a vehicle rollover accident on Briargate Parkway near Interstate 25 in Colorado Springs, Colo., Jan. 14, 2010. No one was injured in the accident. Sergeant Young is assigned to the Air Force Academy's 10th Security Forces Squadron.The Academy's fire department and 10th SFS work alongside Colorado Springs and Colorado authorities to respond to accidents along the Interstate 25 corridor near the Academy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Don Branum)

AFSPC leaders discuss cyberspace at Academy

Cadets 1st Class Michael Nettis and Alexander Roosma talk with Lt. Col. Scott Diamanti after a cyberspace panel held at the Air Force Academy Jan. 11, 2010. Cadets Nettis and Roosma are assigned to Cadet Squadrons 20 and 16. Colonel Diamanti is commander of the 614th Space Communications Squadron at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Don Branum)

AFSPC leaders discuss cyberspace at Academy

Brig. Gen. Dave Warner shares his college experiences with Cadet 1st Class Matthew Greenwood after a cyberspace panel at the Air Force Academy Jan. 11, 2010. General Warner is the chief information officer and director of communications and information for Air Force Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Don Branum)

Cadets launch 'Roswell II'

Air Force Academy cadets prepare to launch a weather balloon named "Roswell II" from the Academy's Stillman Parade Field Jan. 10, 2010. The cadets launched the balloon as part of a Space Club experiment after notifying officials at Denver International and Colorado Springs airports. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Don Branum)

Cadets launch 'Roswell II'

Air Force Academy Cadet 2nd Class Gray Thompson, Cadet 3rd Class Jordan Wittman and Cadet 4th Class Shane Bruski secure a payload to a weather balloon on the Academy's Stillman Parade Field Jan. 10, 2010. The cadets are assigned to Cadet Squadrons 07, 30 and 32, respectively, and were among a dozen Space Club cadets who took part in the balloon experiment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Don Branum)

Cadets launch 'Roswell II'

Air Force Academy Cadet 4th Class Shane Bruski unrolls a weather balloon on Stillman Parade Field as part of an Academy Space Club experiment Jan. 10, 2010. A camera placed in the balloon's payload recorded one image every 30 seconds. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Don Branum)

Wings of Blue jumps into Rose Bowl

Pasadena, Calif., mayor Bill Bogaard meets Air Force Academy Cadets 1st Class Spencer Walker, Joseph Valdez, David Leibrand and Spencer Schardein after they jumped into the Rose Bowl for the Citi BCS Championship Game Jan. 7, 2010. The cadets are part of Wings of Blue, the Air Force's official parachute demonstration team. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Corinna Jones)

AMT receives new stripe for the new year

Lt. Gen. Mike Gould and Chief Master Sgt. Todd Salzman pin stripes on a surprised Master Sgt. Bryant Ward in the commandant's conference room here Dec. 22, 2009. Sergeant Ward, an Academy Military Training NCO with Cadet Squadron 04, was promoted through the Stripes for Exceptional Performers program. General Gould is the Academy superintendent; Chief Salzman is the Academy's command chief. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Don Branum)

USAFA 2009 in Review

Air Force Academy Cadet 4th Class Kyle Fitle checks his temperature using a disposable thermometer during Basic Cadet Training at the Academy's Jacks Valley July 13, 2009. The cadet population was screened for influenza-like symptoms after more than 150 cadets were diagnosed with the H1N1 flu virus. (U.S. Air Force photo/Dave Ahlschwede)

Practice makes perfect!

Air Force Academy Cadets 4th Class Colton Steen (foreground) and Melissa Lasher (background) practice rifle drill and ceremonies on the Academy's Honor Court Jan. 4, 2010. Cadets on the Cadet Honor Guard perform ceremonial and funeral honors for the Cadet Wing as well as ceremonies for local, national and international communities. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Don Branum)

Practice makes perfect!

Freshman Air Force Academy cadets practice rifle drill and ceremony during Cadet Honor Guard practice on the Academy's Honor Court Jan. 4, 2010. The Cadet Honor Guard comprises approximately 70 cadets split into three flights: a rifle drill flight, a sabre drill flight and a details flight. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Don Branum)

Cadets move into new digs

Air Force Academy Cadet 4th Class Lee Bussey pulls personal belongings out of a trunk in his new dormitory in the Academy's Vandenberg Hall Jan. 4, 2010. Cadet Bussey and his roommates are among approximately 450 cadets from Cadet Squadrons 02, 04, 06 and 08 who recently moved into renovated dorms in Vandenberg Hall. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Don Branum)

JCS chairman underscores importance of Academy experience

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff greets the U.S. Air Force Academy Falcon football team Dec. 30, 2009 prior to their appearance in the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas against the University of Houston Cougars on New Years Eve. (U.S. Navy photo/Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley)