Academy hosts fiance reception

  • Published
  • By Leslie Finstein
  • U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs
USAF Academy, Colo. --  The day before Air Force Academy cadets became second lieutenants, Academy senior leaders took time to introduce them and their fiance's and fiancee's to Air Force life.

At the Otis House reception hosted by Amy Clark, the wife of Brig. Gen. Richard Clark, the commandant of cadets, graduating cadets took time with their future spouses to relax, meet one another's significant others and learn about life as an Air Force husband or wife.

"It serves a need, giving new spouses a chance to talk to experienced spouses," said Donna Rosa, the consultant of cadet social decorum. "It's to help new spouses understand there is a really big support system for them. It's the help behind the scenes that they need to know about."

Mrs. Rosa, who organizes many of the social decorum classes available to cadets, said this event is part of that training. However, instead of only reaching cadets, it also reaches their significant others and shows cadets how to support them as they transition together to married life in the Air Force.

The cadets and their spouses to be seemed to enjoy the opportunity to mingle. For many cadets and their incoming Air Force spouses, the thing they are looking forward to most about Air Force life is the travel and new experiences that it offers.

Cadet 1st Class Josh Monroe of Cadet Squadron 12 and his fiancée, Melissa Hogan, said the best advice they got was to keep their families first.

"Even though it's a little harder, with so much attention on the job, you need to keep family first," Ms. Hogan said.

Cadet 1st Class Andrew Miller of CS03, who came with his fiancée, Carla Egner, said the best advice he got was to keep his wife-to-be happy - words that came from General Clark. Ms. Egner said that she was happy to learn about the support network provided by spouses clubs.

"We came to the reception to socialize with everyone and get advice from people who have been there before," Cadet Miller said.

Those who had been there before were many members of the Academy's senior leadership. Attendees included Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Mike Gould and his wife, Paula Gould; Dean of Faculty Brig. Gen. Dana Born and her husband, Timothy Born; Mobilization Assistant to the Superintendent Brig. Gen. Catherine Chilton; and Jen Plamp, president of the Air Force Academy Spouses Club and the wife of 306th Flight Training Group Commander Col. Christopher Plamp.

The senior leaders took time to talk to the cadets and share with them the best advice they had after years of Air Force family life.

"Family comes first," General Clark said. "You've got to take care of your family. You may be in the Air Force 20, 30 years, but you are married for the rest of your life."

"As soon as you move to a new base, it's important to get plugged in and settled right away because you never know how long you are going to be somewhere," Mrs. Clark added. "Get out, meet people, get settled into your new home, because you might be there for one year or four years and you never know."

General Born's advice was sweet and simple: "When you spend every day with your best friend, it gets better every day."

Mr. Born, who spent 21 years as an officer in the Marine Corps, advised cadets who are marrying other cadets not to worry about being separated by their jobs.

"The military makes a concerted effort to keep family at the top of the list," he said.

As a parting gift, courtesy of the Air Force Academy Spouses Club, each young couple received a hand painted ceramic plate that said, "Home is where the Air Force sends you." Words that every Air Force family, and soon their own, will live by.