Music for the season

Air Force Academy cadets with the a cappella group "In the Stairwell" perform a medley of Christmas music live on KKTV Channels 5 and 30 in Colorado Springs, Colo., Dec. 10, 2010. The group performs for several events each year in the Colorado Springs and Denver areas. (U.S. Air Force photo/John Van Winkle)

Academy cadet named best in Air Force

Air Force Academy Cadet 1st Class Christopher McCool was named the Air Force Cadet of the Year Dec. 1, 2010. Cadet McCool is assigned to Cadet Squadron 05. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Cadets 'Give!' back to local nonprofits

Cadets and representatives from local nonprofit agencies brainstorm in Arnold Hall Oct. 20, 2010. The event focused on helping nonprofits reach out to new audiences and streamline how they do business. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Raymond Hoy)

Cadets conquer Alcatraz swim

Cadets swim the 2.2-mile "Escape from Alcatraz" route from Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay to the mainland Sept. 26, 2010. Thirteen cadets took part in the event in hopes of establishing an open-water swimming club at the Air Force Academy. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Academy hosts mock trial tournament

Cadet 2nd Class Clayton Schmitt, standing, listens to a judge's remarks during a mock trial at the Air Force Academy Oct. 17, 2010. Cadet Schmitt was part of the Academy's "New Kids on the Block" mock trial team, which also included, clockwise from bottom right: Cadets 3rd Class Jessica Norrington, Max Stanley and Brett Teague, Cadet 2nd Clsas Diana Bennett (seated behind Cadet Schmitt), Cadet 3rd Class Josh Williams and Cadet 4th Class Melanie Daugherty. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan)

Atheists, pagans discuss intersection of mind, spirit

A cadet checks out a tarot deck during the Earth-Centered Spirituality SPIRE group meeting in Fairchild Hall at the Air Force Academy Oct. 18, 2010. Some Pagans use tarot cards to get an intuitive point of view of their own or someone else's current emotional or spiritual situation. SPIRE, or Special Program in Religious Education, groups meet Monday evenings at the Academy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Don Branum)

Cadet Squadron 04 completes Cadet Service Learning at Ironman

Cadet 3rd Class Neil Corran provides security for the Ironman Triathlon in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, Oct. 9, 2010. Cadet Corran was one of 36 members of Cadet Squadron 04 who volunteered for the event as the squadron's Fall 2010 Cadet Service Learning project. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Raymond Hoy)

Falcons ground Rams, 49-27

Members of the Wings of Blue Air Force Parachute Demonstration Team jump out of a Twin Otter and towards Falcon Stadum prior to the Air Force-CSU game Oct. 9, 2010. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan)

Fallen cadet honored by family, comrades at memorial

A cadet honor guard prepares to raise an American flag at the Air Force Academy during a reveille ceremony in memory of Cadet 1st Class Marc Henning Sept. 28, 2010. The Academy and Cadet Henning's family held a memorial service at the Cadet Chapel the same day. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan)

Fallen cadet honored by family, comrades at memorial

An Air Force Academy cadet mourns Cadet 1st Class Marc Henning in the Terrazzo during a Taps ceremony Sept. 21, 2010, while a meteor shoots over Eagle Peak in the background. Cadet Henning, a native of Crossville, Ill., was 22. (U.S. Air Force photo/Johnny Wilson)

Students see stars at AFA observatory

Cadet 1st Class Samantha Howard describes the Air Force Academy's 61-cm reflecting telescopes to students from Falcon Middle School Sept. 24, 2010. About 50 students toured the Academy's observatory and learned about stars and constellations in the early autumn sky as well as far-away objects and the age of the solar system. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan)

Students see stars at AFA observatory

Cadet 3rd Class Trey Cottingham uses a green laser to point out stars and constellations in the early autumn sky to Falcon Middle School students visiting the Air Force Academy observatory Sept. 24, 2010. Students also toured Department of Physics classrooms and learned about the 61-cm telescope used to conduct astronomy research at the Academy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan)