Inaugural Academy UAS class pins on wings

  • Published
  • By Ann Patton
  • U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFNS) --  Members of the first class of the U.S. Air Force Academy's Unmanned Aircraft System and Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Education Program received their UAS wings Aug. 11 during a ceremony here.

The class included four hand-picked cadre, all second degrees, with the remainder third degrees. More than 80 cadets originally volunteered for the program, the first of its kind in U.S. service academies.

"You are pioneers," Brig. Gen. Dana Born, the dean of the faculty, told the graduates. "You are going to set the sky as the limit and beyond."

Training included classroom instruction and flight training on two Viking 300 unmanned aircraft vehicles Camp Red Devil at Fort Carson, Colo. 

Flight training will resume in September.

General Born shared her vision of the program's future when larger spaces will be needed for future UAS graduations.

"This room won't hold future classes," she emphasized. "It will grow in numbers and impact for the Air Force and the nation. This is truly a great day." 

Lt. Col. Dean Bushey, the program director, anticipates the UAS program, under the academic courses Airmanship 200 and 201, will eventually include about 300 cadets.

The impetus to the initiative is the growing need for UAS in support of worldwide operations. Primary goals of the courses are to motivate cadets toward UAS training and introduce key skills cadets will use in their Air Force careers.

Colonel Bushey thanked both cadets and trainers for their long hours and encouraged cadets to recruit other good students to the program. He also emphasized the cadets now have a major ownership of it.

"It is no longer our program," he said of the Academy senior leadership. "It is now your program. Spread the good word."

Cadets 3rd Class Jonathan Broadbent and Anthony Alt both expressed their enthusiasm at being involved.

"The biggest surprise was how much we learned," Cadet Broadbent said. "We worked with some really professional people."

Cadet Broadbent said he also appreciated the unique leadership opportunities and that they set the tone for the other classes. 

"It's good knowing the capability of the support of what's around me," Cadet Alt added. 

He said is looking forward to the future of the program when new the curriculum expands, especially in research projects.