USAFA Class of 2022 Graduation Summary

We began our drive to Colorado Springs on Friday, May 20 for a week-long celebration of the Class of 2022 graduation events for the United States Air Force Academy. We spent that night at the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Kearney, Nebraska. If you need a place to stop for the night in Nebraska, this is the place. Very nice new hotel, and right across the street is the Angus Burgers and Shakes restaurant that served up a great meal. I mean, where else can you get a burger flight!?!

Meanwhile, Colorado Springs and USAFA were just starting to get a rude late May snowstorm that would eventually bring over a foot of snow to the USAFA campus. The soon-to-be Second Lieutenants spent that Friday rehearsing their march into the football stadium for a little over five hours.

Would this be the first indoor graduation ceremony since 1959? Which would have been a significant wrench thrown into the mix for the thousands of family members coming in from all parts of the country. If held outdoors, each cadet was allotted twenty family members to attend graduation itself. If held indoors, that number was reduced to just three. Everyone was monitoring the weather. Graduation itself was being held on Wednesday, May 25, but many other outdoor events were scheduled for Monday and Tuesday.

On Saturday, we completed the drive to Colorado Springs. We did not run into snow until we reached Denver, and all snow had been cleared from the roads and was only visible on roofs. But as we continued south, it was obvious that the main track of the snowstorm had been south of Denver, as there was significant snow. We were beginning to doubt that the planned graduation parade for Tuesday would take place, as the parade ground was covered in heavy snow, not to mention Wednesday’s graduation ceremony. At least the roads were clear. Wet from all the melting snow, but at least not covered in snow.

We checked into the Airbnb house that we had rented over 14-months earlier. During USAFA Graduation Week, the town is inundated with family members, and hotels and rental housing is a first-come-first-serve free for all. As we rented so early, we were able to find a lovely 5-bedroom large home in Colorado Springs that was perfect for our needs.

Our family members started arriving at the Airbnb on Saturday evening. Jackie’s sister and brother-in-law, Kim and Juanita Hocking drove from Bismarck to Fort Collins and picked up Juanita’s daughter Erin, her husband Matt Huggins and baby Brighe from the Denver airport Saturday morning.  Graham was able to join us for dinner and stay overnight.

On Sunday evening, we had a “coming full circle” moment when the whole family was invited to dinner with Graham’s sponsor family, Dean and Angela Bancroft. We had dinner with the Bancroft's on June 17, 2018, the night before Graham reported to the Academy for Induction Day or I-Day. The Bancroft's are a military family and Jackie’s friends from her college days in North Dakota. Angela made Knoephla soup and Brighe enjoyed her first taste of this favorite German Russian dish. She is one of us!

The night before I-Day, 2018. The Bancroft's son, Ben, is attending the US Naval Academy.

On Monday, we attended the Graduation Awards Ceremony for the top military, academic and athletic performers. Graham’s squadron, the Fightin’ Fourth, received the Academic Achievement Squadron Award which recognizes the squadron with the highest grade-point average for the academic year, which is a big honor. 

Video introducing Sq. 4 as the top academic squadron. There are forty squadrons at USAFA.

But the biggest honor came later that afternoon during the ceremony held by the Philosophy department faculty. Graham was awarded the Philosophy Department’s Outstanding Cadet award for the Class of 2022. His professors sang his praises and said how much they looked forward to the day when Graham would join them as an instructor. As parents, we were a little apprehensive when he changed his major from Political Science to Philosophy, but we trusted his judgement. He made the right choice and found his right area of study.

Graham and some of his instructors.

With his proud parents

His very heavy award is a replica of the Eagle & Fledgling's statue, shown below, that is found in front of the Air Garden's at USAFA. This two-ton statue was given to the Academy by the personnel of the Air Training Command in 1958. The quotation on it reads, "Man's flight through life is sustained by the power of his knowledge," by Austin "Dusty Miller". 

Quite the award!

Graham will also get his name added to the previous Outstanding Graduate's in Philosophy board that hangs outside the department HQs on campus.

Below, you can see Graham receive his award in this short video.

 

Brian's sister and her husband, Mike and Lori Pfeifer, arrived late Monday afternoon, just in time for family pizza night with Graham.

Tuesday’s weather was cold and dreary. Only six family members were allowed to attend the graduation parade at Stillman Field. However, there was plenty of room in the stands since many people opted out due to the weather conditions. Snow still covered the stadium ground, and cadets marched through mud and slush. Then the rain began. It’s a good thing Jackie had included rain ponchos in everyone’s gift bags, and at the last minute, we packed umbrellas to bring with us.

Those cadets wearing a yellow sash, signify being commissioned into the U.S. Air Force. Those wearing a silver sash, such as Graham, signify being commissioned into the U.S. Space Force. The respective numbers of those that commissioned into either were 863 (AF) and 94 (SF). For a complete breakdown of graduation stats for the Class of 2002, click here. 

Cadets watch as a rare B2 bomber conducts a flyover prior to the parade.

Still some snow...and mud!

It was cold for May 24!

Graham's last USAFA parade!

The Graduation Parade provided yet another “coming full circle” moment. During the Acceptance Day Parade on August 7, 2018, “Doolie” or freshman cadets march on separately and then join their squadron. During the Graduation Parade, the “Firsties” or senior cadets step out of their squadrons and then salute their younger squad mates as they march past. It is a very moving moment during the week. Watch this short video below as Squadron's 1-4 depart their squadrons. 

After the parade, we had to change into nice clothes for the Commissioning Ceremony that afternoon. Thus, we changed in Graham's dorm room...one sex at a time!

Outside Graham's dorm room.

Relaxed after the parade and ready to get into his Mess Dress uniform. 

Ever the mother...

Dad patiently waits.

Family hug time.

One last bow-tie check.

Another moving moment occurred during Squadron Four’s Commissioning Ceremony when Graham was formally commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Space Force. First, he was lead in reciting the Oath of Office by his AOC, Lt. Col Amanda Patton. Then Jackie and I removed his cadet insignia and replaced them with his lieutenant shoulder boards. (We didn’t quite get them snapped on properly, but it was good enough!) After a traditional Maas “family hug”, Graham received his first salute and accepted a silver dollar coin from his AMT, MSgt Christopher Hughes. In return, Graham gave a challenge coin to him. This is one of many USAFA’s ongoing traditions.

The gang's all here!

Tuesday was a very full and emotional day. As Graham also minored in Religion Studies, he began studying and practicing Buddhism, along with deep dives into other religions as he expanded his studies. That evening, our family members were invited to visit the home and study center of the Venerable Dharma Joy aka DJ, the Buddhist monk with whom Graham has been studying. DJ included us in a blessing ceremony for Graham and gave him some meaningful gifts. DJ’s niece prepared dinner for us as well.

Wednesday morning dawned bright and sunny. We left our Airbnb early to join the thousands of family members heading for the Falcon Stadium on campus. 

No snow, and a beautiful sunrise over the AF Stadium.

The line of cars waiting to get in. 

As the music began to play, all 973 cadets began to slow march onto the field. 

The Honorable Lloyd J. Austin III, the Secretary of Defense, gave the commencement address and shook hands with each cadet. After all cadets had received their diplomas, Brigadier General Paul Moga, the Commandant of USAFA (and a St. Paul native), announced “Class of 2022, you are dismissed!”  All the cadets threw their hats into the air as the Thunderbirds Squadron came screaming overhead. The cadets jumped and laughed and hugged each other. Eventually Graham joined us in the stands while the Thunderbirds continued to entertain and astonish the crowd with their acrobatic and technical skills.

Graham salutes and gets a hand-shake from Lloyd J. Austin III, the Secretary of Defense.

"Class of 2022. You. Are. Dismissed!

In this video below, you can see Graham (silver sash, second person in, second row), toss his hat and do a double fist pump. Showing this much emotion is rare for him.

The full graduation broadcast can be viewed via the link below.

We were in no rush to get to back to our cars as we knew it would take a while for all the cars to the stadium area. Graham was bussed back to campus to finish his out-processing paperwork. Back at the house, family members headed off for hikes to the Garden of the Gods. Jackie and I put our feet up and enjoyed the view of Pike’s Peak from our front yard.

Graduation dinner was a feast of Mediterranean food from the Heart of Jerusalem restaurant. Dean and Angela joined us as we celebrated the day and all of Graham’s accomplishments.

On Thursday family members began heading back home and to other destinations, and by Friday afternoon, just Jackie, Graham and I were left. We did a family hike in the afternoon. That night we went to the latest Dr. Strange movie and enjoyed burgers at Crave Real Burgers, one of our favorite restaurants in Colorado Springs.

And suddenly, it was Saturday and time for us to caravan home. Graduation Week was over but it will live long in our hearts as a time of celebration.

Graham has been home, enjoying his 60 days of leave before reporting to his first duty station in Boston and beginning graduate school at Boston College. He is sleeping late, learning to cook and gathering things for his first apartment.

Stay tuned for his next adventures!

Note - Additional photos and videos can be seen within this Flickr album.