Alt Spring Break

Cadets working on the Houston project had the unique opportunity to meet Gene Kranz, seated, 2nd from left, the retired director of NASA featured in the movie Apollo 13.

Cadet Life

Air Force Academy cadets march during a noon meal formation on the Terrazzo March 15, 2011. Military formations and inspections are a routine part of life for cadets, in addition to athletics and academics. (U.S. Air Force photo/Megan Davis)

Call it: 'All in good fun'

Cadet 4th Class Mercedes Dexter shows off her handiwork during 100s Night weekend at the Air Force Academy Feb. 16, 2011. While the Class of 2011 enjoys the weekend off base, the freshman class redecorates the seniors' dorm rooms. (U.S. Air Force photo/Megan Davis)

Call it: 'All in good fun'

Cadet 4th Class Lindsay Johnson fills balloons in a senior's dormitory room during 100s Night at the Air Force Academy Feb. 16, 2011. Cadet Johnson is assigned to Cadet Squadron 02. Some of the balloons contained candy and other edibles. (U.S. Air Force photo/Megan Davis)

Call it: 'All in good fun'

Cadet 1st Class Stevie Puentes finds out her first duty station during a 100s Night dining-in in Mitchell Hall at the Air Force Academy Feb. 16, 2011. Cadet Puentes is assigned to Cadet Squadron 05 and will stay at the Academy for a year after graduation as a diversity recruiter. (U.S. Air Force photo/Megan Davis)

Call it: 'All in good fun'

A senior cadet assembles a puzzle to figure out where he'll be assigned for his first duty station during a 100s Night dining-in at the Air Force Academy's Mitchell Hall Feb. 16, 2011. The yellow ballcap signifies the class color for the Class of 2011, which graduates May 25. (U.S. Air Force photo/Megan Davis)

Satellite Ops

Cadet 1st Class Kathryn Blythe (left) and Cadet 2nd Class Chris Hassa (right) explain FaclonSAT-5 operations to Gen. William Shelton during his visit to the Academy's Department of Astronautics Jan. 24, 2011. General Shelton, the commander of Air Force Space Command and a 1976 Academy graduate who majored in astronautical engineering, received briefings on the FalconSAT and FalconLAUNCH programs at the Academy. Cadet Blythe is the FalconSAT-5 program manager, and Cadet Hassa is a FalconSAT-5 satellite operator. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rachel Boettcher)

Oasis offers cadets a break from Academy life

Cadets 3rd Class Heather Udell, left, and Christina Cave prepare a vanilla milkshake in the Air Force Academy's Oasis lounge Jan. 26, 2011. The lounge's amenities include a coffee bar, game consoles, a massage chair and a piano. The Oasis, sponsored by the Academy chapel, allows cadets to take a break from the rigors of Academy life and come together in a more casual environment. Cadets Udell and Cave are assigned to Cadet Squadron 25. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Don Branum)

AF, Army join forces on FalconSAT-3

John Clark, left, trains U.S. Military Academy cadets on the new electronics suite that will allow them to contact the Air Force Academy's FalconSAT-3 satellite. Mr. Clark, who works for the Air Force Academy's Department of Astronautics, installed the suite in West Point's Bartlett Hall to allow cadets from both service academies to operate FalconSAT-3 jointly. (U.S. Army photo)

Oasis offers refuge from Academy life

Cadets 3rd Class Heather Udell, left, and Christina Cave prepare a vanilla milkshake in the Air Force Academy's Oasis lounge Jan. 26, 2011. The lounge's amenities include a coffee bar, game consoles, a massage chair and a piano. The Oasis, sponsored by the Academy chapel, allows cadets to take a break from the rigors of Academy life and come together in a more casual environment. Cadets Udell and Cave are assigned to Cadet Squadron 25. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Don Branum)

Cadet Chorale performs at BCS championship

Barry Becker listens to the Cadet Chorale performance at the Veterans Administration hospital in Phoenix Jan. 9, 2011. The Chorale flew into Arizona to perform at the BCS national championship but also performed at the VA hospital and on KTVK's "Good Morning Arizona." Mr. Becker is a retired Air Force Vietnam veteran. (U.S. Air Force photo/2nd Lt. Meredith Kirchoff)

2007 Academy grad killed in plane crash

First Lt. Martin Anthony Riggan, 25, was pronounced dead after a plane crash at the Colorado Springs Airport in Colorado Springs, Colo., Dec. 22, 2010. Lieutenant Riggan was a 2007 graduate of the Air Force Academy and a native of Little Rock, Ark. (U.S. Air Force photo)

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)