'Prior - E' takes on USAFA Prep School challenges

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Veronica Ward
  • Academy Public Affairs
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --  The U.S. Air Force Academy's Preparatory School inprocessed 243 cadet candidates this week, but this wasn't the first taste of military life for one 20-year-old woman.

"Before arriving at the Prep School I was stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., as a broadcast journalist," said basic cadet candidate Veronique Henry. "I dealt with video, alert photography and wrote news stories. Since I was at a space base, I captured a lot of video for launches."

Henry, along with 52 other prior-enlisted Airmen, arrived at the Prep School last week to inprocess separate from the direct-entry cadet candidates. Part of their training involved a three-part briefing with Center for Character and Leadership Development representatives designed to help them better understand the transition from an enlisted Airmen to a future officer, according to the Academy Preparatory School Husky Report.

"As a prior-enlisted Airman, I hope to bring perspective to the table," Henry said. "I understand how the enlisted force and force structure works and its importance and now I will also see the officer side. Experiencing and being part of both with allow me to share how the two differ, how they are similar, and also how the two work and fit together."

Although she gave up her airman first class stripes this week, Henry realized the opportunities offered at the Academy would get her closer to her goals.

"I got into bodybuilding early last year and competed for the first time in March," she said. "I qualified to compete to go (professional), but I passed it up to come here instead. The same way I saw bodybuilding as a challenge is the same way I saw the Academy as a challenge to better myself. The Air Force is giving me a free education and plenty of awesome opportunities. The least I can give in return is my all."

Henry has her eyes set on earning her place as an officer, but said she has plenty left to achieve on her Air Force journey.

"I know it sounds like the Air Force thing to say, but I genuinely bleed blue," she said. "Whether it is in academics or a leadership position, I want to give it all I have. I want to make a point of showing people the kind of leader I am while also showing I know how to follow as well."

Basic cadet candidates spend 10 months at the Prep School receiving academic and military training with the hopes of earning an appointment to the Academy.