Red, White and Brave Parade honors those who serve

Air Force Academy cheerleaders and athletes greet crowds Aug. 29, 2009, during the Red, White and Brave Parade in downtown Colorado Springs, Colo. More than 40,000 spectators turned out for the event. Colorado Springs is home to the Academy, Peterson and Schriever Air Force bases and Fort Carson. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rachel Boettcher)

CDC remembers Donna Head

The unveiling of the Donna Head Child Development Center gets helping hands from (left to right) Andrea Keilen, Academy superintendent Lt. Gen. Mike Gould, retired Brig. Gin. Jim Head and Margot Saltonstall. Mrs. Keilen and Mrs. Saltonstall are Mrs. Head's daughters. The CDC was renamed to honor Mrs. Head following her death in December 2007. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rachel Boettcher)

Tops in Blue a big hit at USAFA

Staff Sgt. Timothy Womble goes country during a Tops in Blue performance in Arnold Hall at the U.S. Air Force Academy Aug. 23, 2009. Sergeant Womble is an aerospace ground equipment journeyman with the 437th Maintenance Squadron at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., and a native of Natchez, Miss. (U.S. Air Force photo/Dave Ahlschwede)

Tops in Blue a big hit at USAFA

Senior Airman Johnny Magbanua, dressed as Elvis Presley, performs during a Tops in Blue concert in Arnold Hall at the U.S. Air Force Academy Aug. 23. Airman Magbanua is a security forces journeyman with the 90th Security Support Squadron at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., and a native of San Diego. (U.S. Air Force photo/Dave Ahlschwede)

Tops in Blue a big hit at USAFA

Staff Sgt. Wendell Boone performs during a Tops in Blue concert in Arnold Hall at the U.S. Air Force Academy Aug. 23. The Sunday performance, which was open to the public, drew more than 2,600 visitors. Sergeant Boone is an air transportation apprentice from Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and a native of Clarksville, Tenn. (U.S. Air Force photo/Dave Ahlschwede)

Golfer's life packed with flying and family

Academy golfing legend Vic Kregel fondly recalls the Air Force Memorial Bob Hope trophy he captured during a charity golf tournament. The Eisenhower Men's Golf Association named the championship after Mr. Kregel, who began golfing at age 10 in Pennsylvania. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ann Patton)

Big Bad Basic

Kathryn Hilbig of the Cobras (left) is the Big Bad Basic women's champion for the Class of 2013. (U.S. Air Force photo/J. Rachel Spencer)

Big Bad Basic

Basic Cadet Alex Means of the Barbarians (right) was the Class of 2013 men's champion at Big Bad Basic. (U.S. Air Force photo/J. Rachel Spencer)

Academy professor nominated for contribution award

Capt. Luke Sauter reviews ins and outs of rocketry to Cadets 1st Class Aaron Price, Wayne Black and Nolan Brock. Captain Sauter was recently selected as the Air Force nominee for the 60th-annual Arhut S. Flemming Award for Applied Science, Engineering and Mathematics. He is an astronautics course instructor with the U.S. Air Force Academy's Department of Astronautics. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ann Patton)

Cadet uniform changes now in place

Recent changes to the cadet uniform included modifications to female cadets' slacks. The new slacls offers a shorter rise, a slightly wider leg and wider belt loops. The new slacks design also eliminates front darts, which many said were baggy and unflattering. (U.S. Air Force photo illustration)

Cadet earns collegiate shooting championship

Cadet 3rd Class Michael Seery takes aim in the prone position during a shooting competition. Cadet Seery, a computer science major at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., won awards in the collegiate category at the 2009 National Rifle Championships. (courtesy photo)

Coordinated effort provides '3 squares' for 4,000 cadets

Rosa Scott, Kim Guffin and Richard Foster begin preparations for the evening meal inside Mitchell Hall at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., Aug. 10, 2009. A staff of approximately 200 food service professionals prepares nearly 13,000 meals per day for cadets. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ann Patton)

'84 grad to pilot shuttle

Retired Col. Greg Johnson has been selected as the pilot for Space Shuttle Discovery's upcoming mission, STS-134, which will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to the International Space Station. Colonel Johnson is a 1984 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. (NASA photo)

Academy officer wins cyberwarfare award

Capt. Michael Henson (center) displays a bokken he received after a cyberspace-based "capture the flag" event held by the New York City chapter of Infragard July 21-22. Captain Henson, an assistant professor of computer science at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., started the Cadet Cyber Warfare Club to train cadets on network attack and defense skills. He was a member of an aggressor team during the event and appears here with members of the opposing Blue Team. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Class of 2013 'Best to be Seen'

U.S. Air Force Academy Cadets from the Class of 2013 and their cadet cadre instructors march to Jacks Valley at the Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., July 13, 2009. Freshmen cadets adopted the motto "Best to be Seen ... big, bad and mean" while marching to activities shortly after inprocessing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Dave Ahlschwede)

Surviving your 1st year: If I knew then what I know now

Cadets walk to class in the U.S. Air Force Academy's Fairchild Hall Aug. 6, 2009. Cadets must learn to balance academic, military and athletic duties during their four years at the Academy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Dave Ahlschwede)

Academy's new first family takes to the skies

Lt. Col. Alexander Cos describes to Lt. Gen. Mike Gould the aircraft exit strategy they will use to safely clear a UV-18 aircraft during their tandem jump. General Gould, the U.S. Air Force Academy superintendent, jumped with Colonel Cos Aug. 3 in order to learn more about the Academy mission and cadet programs. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Christopher DeWitt)

Academy medic experiences life-changing moments

Airman 1st Class Sabrina Hibbens poses for a photograph with Afghani civilians while deployed in support of American special forces in western Afghanistan's Uruzgan and North Helmand provinces. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Academy Astronautics pioneer dies at 86

Retired Brig. Gen. Roger Bate addresses attendees at the Astronautics Department's 50th anniversary celebration March 7, 2008. General Bate died March 18 in McKinney, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan)

Hero of the Hudson visits alma mater

Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, recipient of the 2009 Col. James Jabara Award for Airmanship, receives a briefing prior to receiving the award during a parade held on the U.S. Air Force Academy Terrazzo April 15, 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan)

Cadets aim to cut KC-135 fuel costs

Cadet 1st Class Daniel Prescott affixes winglets to a model of a KC-135 Stratotanker in an aeronautical engineering lab at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo., Nov. 3, 2008. The department's research predicts an 8-percent improvement in fuel efficiency from the winglets, which reduce the effects of drag on the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/John Van Winkle)

Assignment Vietnam: Returning remains is Job 1

Master Sgt. Greg Meinert digs at a revovery site in Vietnam. Dirt is sent to screening sections, where workers scour the dirt for human remains. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Gridiron guru gets teamwork lesson Academy style

Lt. Col. Aldru Aaron performs a tandem jump with former Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 18. Coach Shanahan led the Broncos to superbowl victories in 1998 and 1999. Colonel Aaron is the 98th Flying Training Squadron commander. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Justus Hanks)

Gridiron guru gets teamwork lesson Academy style

Lt. Col. Aldru Aaron and former Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan complete a tandem jump at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 18. Coach Shanahan led the Broncos to superbowl victories in 1998 and 1999. Colonel Aaron is the 98th Flying Training Squadron commander. (U.S. Air Force photo)