3 graduate in Academy's summer commissioning ceremony

  • Published
  • By John Van Winkle
  • U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --  Three cadets graduated from the Air Force Academy at the summer graduation ceremony July 31 at the Visitor Center.

At the ceremony, former Academy cadets Taylor Amundson, Cherie DenHollander and Jacob Maynard received their diplomas and were commissioned as second lieutenants.

The Academy's vice superintendent, Col. Kevin Lamberth, administered the oath of office to the new officers.

"The profession you've chosen is one in which only half of one percent of the nation's population currently serves," he said. "The intent of the oath you're about to take can best be carried out by internalizing and living the same core values you have been modeling for the past four years. I challenge you to use them as your moral compass not just when you put on this uniform, but through all facets of your life."

Amundsen is from Frenchtown, Mont., and graduated with a bachelor's degree in behavioral science. His first Air Force assignment is Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, to attend intelligence officer training.

DenHollander is from Grand Rapids, Mich., and graduated with a bachelor's degree in systems engineering. Her first assignment is Eglin AFB, Fla., where she'll serve as a developmental engineer officer.

Maynard is from Buffalo, NY, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in systems engineering. His first assignment is Laughlin AFB, Texas, where he's scheduled to attend pilot training.

"Our profession, the profession of arms, is unlike any other," Lamberth said. "Many professions take different oaths of service, but only one takes an oath to the nation - the profession of arms. No other oath in any other profession implies giving one's life for their country."

In all, 47,894 officers have graduated from the Academy since the institution's first graduating class in 1959.

(Madison Harrington, public affairs intern, contributed to this report)