100s Night Milestone

100s night for the first-degree (senior) cadets takes place approximately 100 nights before graduation. It is an opportunity for the class to join with the Legacy Class over dinner and celebrate 100 days to graduation and commissioning as Second Lieutenants in the U.S. Air Force. Cadets are given liberty for the weekend to celebrate, while fourth-degree (freshman) cadets “decorate” their rooms in a festive manner.

The Legacy Dinner took place on Friday, February 18, 2022. 

Cadet Maas was dressed to the nines!

Cadet Maas (far right) and other Firstie's from the Fightin' Fourth Squadron

The guest speaker was Maj. Gen. Matthew Wolfe Davidson. He is the Director of Operations, Headquarters, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Florida.  

Prior to assuming his current assignment, Maj. Gen. Davidson served as Deputy Commanding General for the NATO Special Operations Component Command Afghanistan Special Operations Joint Task Force Afghanistan.

Maj. Gen. Davidson spoke about the '22 class motto, Strength and Sacrifice, and what it will mean in their military careers. He gave them examples how they were applied in his own career. He told them that they would do great things in their careers and that there would be times when they will need the strength they have gained at the Air Force Academy to get them through tough times and that there will be sacrifices made both for them and their families.

One other bit of exciting news was delivered as well, as the senior cadets learned of their first base assignment, post-graduation. As we have shared earlier, Cadet Maas will first be off to graduate school to earn his Master's in Philosophy. After completing his grad school degree, it will then be off to sunny California and the Los Angeles Space Force base. As we learned on Job Drop Day, as an Acquisition Management (AF job 63A) manager, 2nd-lieutenant Maas will be a member of the Launch Acquisition & Operations team. There is a chance that this first assignment might be changed, after completing graduate school. But as it stands today, this is the assignment on paper. 

Cadet Maas opens his first assignment.

LA Space Force (Air Force) base.

Great location, with lots to see and do around the area.

Most of the Class of 2022 left the base over weekend to celebrate.  When they were out, the Class of 2025 was busy decorating the Firsties’ rooms. Cadet Maas linked up with a few other cadets and went to Bueno Vista, CO just a short 100-mile drive west of Colorado Springs, where they roughed it in a cabin with no heat or indoor plumbing, just a space heater or two, and "plenty of blankets". Cadet Maas enjoyed the scenery. 

Upon his return Monday evening, Cadet Maas got to his dorm room, which had been decorated with fitting tribute to one of his favorite artists, David Bowie.

"I don't know where I'm going from here, but I promise it won't be boring.“ - David Bowie.

As far as graduate school applications go, Cadet Maas has heard back from one of the six schools he applied to over winter break. The University of Minnesota has accepted his application. We expect a rash of school decisions in the coming weeks, with the hope of hearing from all six by the time of his spring break (March 18-27) so that he can visit any of the campuses he is interested in.