U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- The U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Wing completed a grueling three-day warfighting test of their Ready Airman Training skills during a Culminating Exercise (CULEX) March 5-8.
The CULEX is a comprehensive training exercise that challenged cadets in four different training events that were focused on warfighting, lethality, and readiness.
“We’ve designed this CULEX to assess cadets on Ready Airmen Training skills, while challenging them as future warfighters,” said Maj. James Moore, Cadet Wing Military Training deputy branch chief and CULEX lead planner. “The culminating exercise was a first step towards a dynamic and realistic experience, where they will be required to lead, use critical thinking in unpredictable scenarios, and demonstrate the core skills essential for Agile Combat Employment. Our goal is to prepare cadets for the realities they will face as future officers.”
During the CULEX, cadet squadrons received multiple briefings updating them on exercise expectations and adversaries. Cadet leaders planned and executed missions, leading their squadrons on road marches from the Academy’s Cadet Area to Jacks Valley and the surrounding areas.
“This Culminating Exercise is the first time the U.S. Air Force Academy conducted year-long training to execute an exercise at this scale,” said Cadet First Class Caleb B. Song, Cadet Wing A-3 division chief. “Without the efforts of my team, specifically C1C Amelia Berles, C2C Marcus Berrette, C2C Jaidan Lanier, and C2C Mikayla McBride, this exercise would not have been as successful as it was.”
The weather became an additional challenge for cadets to overcome. Snow and high winds entered the forecast Thursday and Friday providing another chance to evaluate how cadets would adapt to the training conditions while testing their readiness.
“This CULEX represents a significant evolution in how we train our cadets, ensuring they are ready for the demands of a dynamic operating environment,” said Brig. Gen. Gavin Marks, Academy commandant of cadets. “By focusing on individual proficiency and team execution under stress, we are developing leaders who can think critically, adapt quickly, and execute missions effectively in adverse conditions.”
“My team put countless hours into the preparation of training materials, training of cadet cadre, and execution during the exercise creating an outstanding product from the ground up that will be used as a foundation for years to come,” Song added. “I am extremely proud to have worked with these individuals and look forward to serving in the Air Force and Space Force with them once we commission.”
Academy personnel from across the installation supported the CULEX, through building tents, evaluating training, providing logistics, serving as opposing forces, or offering medical care. The Academy will review and improve future iterations of the CULEX to continue to provide cadets with the realistic training needed to meet future challenges.
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Media Information: Photos from the Culminating Exercise (CULEX) are available here.
B-Roll from the CULEX is available here.
Academy coverage of the CULEX is available here.