Summer a busy time for cadets

  • Published
  • By Don Branum
  • Air Force Academy Public Affairs
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --  Some college students get jobs during the summer. Others go home, and still others take summer classes. But the tempo doesn't slow down here during the summer: cadets are just as busy, if not more so, during the three summer sessions.

Here's a snapshot of what many cadets do each summer, organized by class year. The list is not comprehensive.

All Classes:
· Cadet Service Learning. This program strengthens cadets' sense of service before self through serving communities around the country. Many cadet squadrons complete their projects during the summer months.
· Summer vacation. Cadets in all classes get three weeks of leave during the summer. Some of them actually take it. Others participate in projects like Cadet Service Learning or use the time to finish other training requirements.
· Ambassadors of inclusion. Cadets work for civilian companies abroad to learn how those companies conduct business in a diverse environment.

Sophomores:
· Expeditionary Survival and Evasion Training. This new course consolidates what was previously Global Engagement and Combat Skills Training. The training takes place in Jacks Valley and focuses on surviving and evading enemy forces in a remote environment.

Juniors:
· Cadre training. Rising juniors fill roles in basic cadet training, summer seminar and airmanship programs.
· Operation Air Force. Cadets travel around the U.S. and overseas to learn about the roles they will fill as officers after they graduate. Some cadets travel to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland to learn leadership skills from basic military training instructors.
· Cultural and language immersion programs. Many cadets forego their three-week summer vacation to study foreign language and culture outside the United States.
· Field Engineering and Readiness Laboratory. Cadets who will enter civil or bioenvironmental engineering careers after graduation head to Jacks Valley to learn more about how to build air base facilities.

Seniors:
· Cadre leadership. Cadets take command positions as leaders of BCT and other summer programs.
· Summer research. Seniors may spend five weeks working on research in collaboration with a Defense Department agency or civilian company.