“I think it’s at six, but it is on the other side of the campus. So I guess we should start walking around five to make sure we aren’t late.”
I look at my watch.
“That’s the last thing I want to be on my first day.”
“Agreed,” I reply.
We continue to put our stuff away, and around five, we head to the lecture hall. When we arrive, there are thousands of cadets walking around. They mentioned in earlier correspondence that we could expect close to four thousand cadets in our class.
An announcement is made stating we should all be seated. Once everyone is situated, a man stands at the podium. He introduces himself as Colonel Michael Tipson, commander of the base and dean of the Academy. He welcomes us and gives us a brief overview on how the air force became a branch in the U.S. military forces. Many people don’t realize the air force has only been a separate service since 1947, when it became its own branch under the National Security Act. And the Academy didn’t see its first class of cadets until 1955.
Folders are then passed around, one for everyone in the auditorium. The commander continues, describing what’s inside the folder. I look through mine as he does. It’s a schedule for the next two days, which is filled with haircuts, dress, and administrative type things. He further explains there is a place for everything in our rooms and that our dorms will be checked randomly.
“You will take your meals in Mitchell Hall. After today, unless you are on leave or it’s an Academy holiday, you will wear your uniform around campus and the base at all times.” He concludes by telling us he is anxious to see what we all bring. “Lights out is at twenty-two hundred and wake up is oh five hundred. Get your sleep. You all will need it.”
I spend the next three days being processed.I’ve got the buzz cut, the regulation glasses—which could double as birth control, as the frames are hideous—and three uniforms for everyday wear, and all the stuff to go with them, like socks, shirts, etc. I have boots and hats. I also have a set of dress blues, which I was told several times are only to be worn on special occasions, as well as physical conditioning gear for physical education classes and tests.
Classes begin Monday. We are not allowed to leave base without a pass, so Paul and I hang out on Saturday and a little time on Sunday at the Falcon Center in Fairchild Hall. It’s basically a place to hang out between classes and to get some normal food. It’s not that the base food isn’t normal, but every once in a while, it’s nice to be able to get a pizza or a burger somewhere. The base, and the campus for that matter, is like its own little city. There is nothing we could want that isn’t here on base.
I wasn’t allowed, as a freshman, to leave my car on base, so there is a storage facility about five minutes where I left it parked. Many cadets didn’t bring their cars, but I had to if I wanted to get home on holidays and such. It would have been too expensive for Mom and Dad to pay for airfare all the time.
***
I’ve been at the academy for four months, and our first holiday when we are actually allowed to leave the base is coming up and I’m going home for Thanksgiving. It’s too far to drive, almost twenty hours, so Mom and Dad got me an airline ticket. At least I won’t be wasting time driving. Jayden and I write almost every day, and we’ve talked on the phone a couple of times on the weekends. I have no time during the week for anything more than a quick letter to Mom and Dad and my daily letter to Jayden. Everything else is schoolwork and military training.
My typical weekday has been the same since I started classes. We wake at 0500. We get dressed in the uniform of the day, and sometimes they make us wear our dress blues to make sure they’re clean and ready to be worn. We have some time in the morning to ensure our room is in order. There is a proper location for everything we are allowed to have in our room, and we are expected to keep it in inspection order. Then, our entire wing assembles in Mitchell Hall and attends a buffet-style breakfast, which we are told is the most important meal of our day.
We proceed to our academic classes, as well as phys. ed. I maintain two alternating class schedules. They are known as M-days and T-days. I’m not really sure what the difference is, but some days I’m on an M-day schedule and on others, a T-day schedule. Classes begin at 0730. Most of my classes and labs are in Fairchild Hall.
My morning classes end around 1100. We are required to return to our squadron to prepare for the mandatory noon meal formation and lunch. At 1130, my wing lines up by squadron, alphabetically in front of Vandenberg Hall. Once we are lined up, we march across the Terrazzo to Mitchell Hall for lunch.
Afternoon classes begins at 1230. We participate in military training, commander’s calls, briefings, commissioning education, and real-world research. We are required to complete ten physical education classes, including boxing, water survival, and team sports. Athletics are among the best team building and leadership opportunities the academy has, and I can see how it molds one into working with a group and not for oneself.
We can also take part in a wide range of clubs and activities, from cycling to combat shooting to chemistry. There are also airmanship programs, like soaring instructor pilot training or the Wings of Blue parachuting team. I really like the parachuting team, but Mom freaked when I told her about it. I haven’t told Jayden yet, but I’m gonna do it.
We also participate in evening military training time where briefings, lectures, ancillary training, and other military duties take place. As a fourth-class cadet, which is another term for freshman, we are studying contrails, which teaches us about military life after we leave the academy. Many upperclassmen linger around base and are a great support. There is always one cadet looking to mentor another and help them along in their time at the academy.
While breakfast and lunch are mandatory meals, dinner is optional from 1700 to 1900 in Mitchell Hall. I usually skip dinner because I’m too busy doing my homework and studying. The academic call to quarters is required study time, which is when we are required to be back in our dorms. Our day ends with “Taps,” the final bugle call of the day.
We spend two weekends per month performing military training. It usually takes place from Friday afternoon through Saturday afternoon. Activities include room and uniform inspections, parades, marching practice, military briefings, guest speakers, and professional military education and training. On non-training weekends, we are permitted to leave base if authorized. I’ve been lucky enough to get an occasional authorized leave and headed to the mountains to go skiing. While I have only done it a couple of times, it’s a nice break. We are required to be back in our rooms by 1900. Every week, Sunday is our day.
Paul and I get along great and have already talked about requesting each other as roommates in the years to come. He has a girl back home too and is struggling with the long-distance-relationship thing, same as me. It isn’t a struggle—Jayden and I trust each other completely—but we miss each other so much. That’s the hard part. For Paul, he and his girl don’t have the roots Jayden and I have. They didn’t start their relationship with the bonds of friendship like we did, so they don’t have complete trust with each other yet. They have only known each other for a year and had only been dating for a few months when he started at the academy.
As I reflect on all I have learned here, it is clear that everything we do is designed to build leaders of character who exemplify courage, humility, and desire to serve others before themselves. Each day, I strive to do better than the day before. It has made me want to be the best I can be. Although I miss my family and Jayden more every day, I know in the long run, it will be all worth it. I know without any doubts, I made the right choice. I hadn’t questioned it, but the affirmation is nice.
***
“It’s so good to be home!” I say to my parents when I get out of the car I rented at the airport. Mom and dad both were at work when my flight got in. They insisted on taking time off, but I told them not to worry about it, that I would just rent a car. I look around. “Where’s Jayden?”
My mom laughs. “She had to work today. She tried to get off, but since she is taking tomorrow and Friday off, they told her she had to work or she wouldn’t get paid for the two days she has scheduled off.”
I frown.
“She and her dad will here for dinner tonight.” She gives me a hug. “Think you can stand hanging out with your mom and dad for a few hours?”
I smile. “Of course I can, Mom. I’m just anxious to see her. That’s all.”
My mother looks at me curiously. “Is there something you want to tell us, Jake?”
