Front Range bases host retiree appreciation event

Airman Holly Ayuyu and Senior Airman Barbara Coddington speak with a visitor during the Front Range Retiree Appreciation Day at the Air Force Academy July 23, 2011. Ayuyu and Coddington are dental technicians with the Academy's 10th Dental Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan)

Front Range bases host retiree appreciation event

Retiree Lew Brown asks a question during a Retiree Appreciation Day event at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., July 23, 2011. The event was open to retirees from any branch of the armed forces. Brown is a member of the Colorado chapter of the Sampson Air Force Base Veterans Association. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan)

Summer program introduces cadets to space

Lockheed Martin’s Space Operations Simulation Center in Littleton, Colo., simulates on-orbit docking maneuvers with full-scale Orion crew exploration vehicle and International Space Station mockups. Cadets from the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., visited the SOSC during a tour of Lockheed Martin's Littleton facility July 15, 2011. (Lockheed Martin photo/Patrick Corkery)

Academy's enlisted support local football camp

Anthony Trucks was one of the 18 professional football players who participated in the Pro Football Camp July 12-15. Trucks played football for the University of Oregon before playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2007-2008. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Raymond Hoy)

Community, Airmen replace Tuskegee Airman's lost medal

Four of the documented original Tuskegee Airmen pay their respects to the American flag at the Air Force Academy July 22, 2011, during a ceremony to present former 2nd Lt. Franklin Macon, an original Tuskegee Airman, with a bronze replica of the Tuskegee Airmen medal. Macon's original medal replica was stolen from his home May 31. Pictured are, from left: retired Col. Lowell Bell, former Aviation Cadet Randy Edwards, retired Capt. Sam Hunter Jr. and Macon. (U.S. Air Force photo/Don Branum)

Community, Airmen replace Tuskegee Airman's lost medal

Master Sgt. Amy Wilson sets up the Air Force chief of staff's flag during setup for a ceremony at the Air Force Academy July 22, 2011. Airmen from the Academy and the 21st Space Wing at Peterson Air Force Base collaborated to put together the ceremony to present former 2nd Lt. Franklin Macon, one of the documented original Tuskegee Airman, with a bronze Tuskegee Airmen medal replica. Macon's original medal replica was stolen from his home May 31. Wilson is the superintendent of the Academy's Protocol office. (U.S. Air Force photo/Don Branum)

Community, Airmen replace Tuskegee Airman's lost medal

Cadet 1st Class Frederick Johnson holds a bronze replica of the Tuskegee Airmen Congressional Gold Medal during a ceremony in honor of local documented original Tuskegee Airmen at the Air Force Academy July 22, 2011. Airmen with the 21st Space Wing at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., purchased the medal replica to replace one stolen May 31 from the home of former 2nd Lt. Franklin Macon. Airmen at the Academy invited Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz to present the medal. Johnson, an Atlanta native, is assigned to Cadet Squadron 14 and served as proffer during the ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ray McCoy)

Community, Airmen replace Tuskegee Airman's lost medal

Suzie Schwartz and Paula Gould thank former Aviation Cadet Randy Edwards, former 2nd Lt. Franklin Macon and retired Capt. Sam Hunter, Jr. for their service to the United States during a ceremony at the Air Force Academy July 22, 2011. The Academy hosted the ceremony to present a replacement bronze Tuskegee Airman medal replica to Macon, whose original replica was stolen in a home burglary May 31. Schwartz is the wife of Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, and Gould is the wife of Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Mike Gould. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ray McCoy)

MIA laid to rest at Academy

A funeral procession for Col. Leo Boston drives through an honor cordon in Jacks Valley en route to the Air Force Academy cemetery July 15, 2011. Boston was declared missing in action in Vietnam in 1966 after his A-1E Skyraider disappeared over the Black River in North Vietnam. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan)

MIA laid to rest at Academy

Basic cadets and cadre members render final honors to Col. Leo Boston, who was missing in action from 1966 to 2011, during a funeral service for Boston at the Air Force Academy July 15, 2011. Boston, a native of Cañon City, Colo., went missing near the Black River in North Vietnam's Son La Province during a mission in an A-1E Skyraider. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan)

Air Force Academy holds Independence Day bash

Col. Thomas Gibson and Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach take the stage to greet visitors at the Air Force Academy's Fourth of July celebration in Falcon Stadium July 4, 2011. Colonel Gibson is the commander of the 10th Air Base Wing, which oversees security and force support for the Academy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Megan Davis)

Air Force Academy holds Independence Day bash

A visitor to the Air Force Academy's Fourth of July celebration checks out the turret of a Humvee at the Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., July 4, 2011. Other events at the celebration included performances by the Air Force Academy Band's Wild Blue Country group and the Colorado Springs Philharmonic and a fireworks show. (U.S. Air Force photo/Megan Davis)

Air Force Academy holds Independence Day bash

Master Sgt. Tim Allums performs at the Air Force Academy's Independence Day celebration July 4, 2011, at Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colo. Sergeant Allums is a trumpet player with the Air Force Academy Band and a native of Beaumont, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Megan Davis)

Air Force Academy holds Independence Day bash

Amy Sue Hardy sings during a Colorado Springs Philharmonic performance at Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colo., July 4, 2011. Colorado Springs partnered with the Air Force Academy for the 2011 Independence Day celebration, which also featured a fireworks show and Air Force Academy Band performance. (U.S. Air Force photo/Megan Davis)

Engineering camp attracts, inspires students

High-school students assemble a wind-powered generator during a Society of American Military Engineers camp at the Air Force Academy June 25, 2011. The Academy's SAME camp is based on the Field Engineering Readiness Laboratory, which teaches engineering principles based on the "build first, design later" strategy. The students were assigned to C Flight. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ray McCoy)

Inprocessing: Today's blur is tomorrow's memory

Cadet 2nd Class Justin Sleeter corrects a basic cadet fresh off the bus during inprocessing at the Air Force Academy June 25, 2011. Cadet Sleeter is assigned to Cadet Squadron 21. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ray McCoy)

Peterson AFB NCO, wife a couple of 'Tough Mudders'

Tech. Sgt. Charlie Basta takes off from the start line at the Tough Mudder competition in Beaver Creek, Colo., June 25, 2011. Sergeant Basta, a network weapons and tactics NCO with the 561st Network Operations Squadron at Peterson Air Force Base, completed the race with his wife, Jenn, as part of the "Zombie Apocalypse Team." (U.S. Air Force photo/Don Branum)

Peterson AFB NCO, wife a couple of 'Tough Mudders'

Jenn Basta applies eye black during preparation for the Tough Mudder challenge in Beaver Creek, Colo., June 25, 2011. The challenge encompasses a 10-mile trek across a 4,000-foot elevation change and 26 obstacles. Mrs. Basta is a stay-at-home mother; her husband, Tech. Sgt. Charlie Basta, is a network weapons and tactics NCO with the 561st Network Operations Squadron at Peterson Air Force Base. (U.S. Air Force photo/Don Branum)

USAFA "Deployed Ops"

U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet 1st Class Jordan Wittman helps Staff Sgt. Matthew Jones lay out bare pallets on the assembly line at the U.S. Army Riggers detachment June 18, 2011, in Southwest Asia. Cadet Wittman is taking part of "Deployed Ops", a summer program that sends Academy cadets to deployed locations to follow officers in different career fields and to gain an understanding of career responsibilities. (U.S. Air Force photo/Cadet 1st Class Shaina Thompson)

USAFA "Deployed Ops"

U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet 2nd Class Erin Doran and USAFA Cadet 1st Class Jordan Wittman work together to expedite the bundling process with U.S. Army Riggers June 18, 2011, in Southwest Asia. Cadets Doran and Wittman are taking part in "Deployed Ops", a summer program that sends Academy cadets to deployed locations to follow officers in different career fields and to gain an understanding of career responsibilities. (U.S. Air Force photo/Cadet 1st Class Shaina Thompson)

Cadets learn about CE deployed ops in readiness lab

Cadet 2nd Class Sebastian Constable, left, and other cadets enrolled in the Air Force Academy's Field Engineering Readiness Laboratory construct a concrete slab June 7, 2011. FERL is a three-week course required for cadets majoring in civil or bioenvironmental engineering. Other topics covered in FERL include surveying and building roads and structures. Cadet Constable is assigned to Cadet Squadron 11. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ray McCoy)

Cadets learn about CE deployed ops in readiness lab

Cadet 2nd Class Everett Karpauskas assembles framing for a wood structure during the Air Force Academy's Field Engineering Readiness Laboratory in Jacks Valley June 7, 2011. Topics covered during the three-week course also include mixing concrete and asphalt and surveying. Cadet Karpauskas is assigned to Cadet Squadron 14. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ray McCoy)

Academy hits switch on 6-MW solar array

Lt. Gen. Mike Gould, third from right, flips a switch to signify the dedication of a 6-megawatt solar array at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., June 13, 2011. General Gould is the Academy superintendent. Also pictured are 10th Air Base Wing Vice Commander Col. Todd Robison, third from left, and officials from SunPower Corporation and Colorado Springs Utilities. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan)

Academy hits switch on 6-MW solar array

Lt. Gen. Mike Gould speaks at the dedication ceremony for the Air Force Academy's 6-megawatt solar array June 13, 2011. The array will produce about 12,000 megawatt-hours per year, or 11 percent of the Academy's overall energy needs. The Academy's vision is to produce 100 percent of its power through renewable resources by 2020. General Gould is the Academy superintendent. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan)