Gasdoc

CLASS OF 2013 ARRIVES THURSDAY
June 24, 2009

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. - The 1376 members of the U.S. Air Force Academy's Class of 2013 arrive here Thursday to begin basic cadet training.

The class includes 312 minorities, which make up 23 percent of the class. Overall, the Academy received 9,897 applications for admission into the class, with 1,667 being offered appointments. As of June 24, 1,376 had accepted appointments, including 1,097 men and 279 women.

Other credentials of the Class of 2013 include:

* 41 are prior-enlisted members; 31 attended the Academy's Prep School last year

* 15 percent were either high school class presidents or vice-presidents

* 65 percent were in an academic honor society

* 89 percent were athletic letter award winners

* 28 percent were in band or orchestra

* 27 percent were Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts

* 9 percent were Civil Air Patrol

* 13 percent were in Junior ROTC

The high school grade point average of the Class of 2013 is 3.86. College entrance score average for the SAT is 1294.

The 11 international cadets entering with the Class of 2013 are from Trinidad & Tobago, Peru, Colombia, Taiwan, Thailand, Lithuania, Ghana, Slovenia, Philippines, Poland, and Serbia.

The appointees' introduction to cadet life starts June 25 with a full day of in-processing which includes: medical processing, haircuts, clothing and equipment issue, and squadron and dormitory room assignments. It also marks the start of 38 days of Basic Cadet Training designed to prepare the basic cadet trainees for entry into the Cadet Wing.

During the first 18 days, most of the basic training is conducted within the cadet area. On July 13, the trainees march to Jacks Valley to set up a tent city and live there for 12 days of field training. The trainees march back from Jacks Valley to the cadet area on July 25, and finish Basic Cadet Training on Aug. 1.

The fall academic semester begins Aug. 6.

Gasdoc

It's a rough welcome for AFA newcomers
Doolies greeted by discipline
June 25, 2009 - 3:34 PM
TOM ROEDER
THE GAZETTE

"Why are your legs shaking?" the drill instructor yelled at a cadet who'd held that title for less than five minutes.

The query could have been aimed at the whole row of cadets, fresh off a bus to start basic training at the Air Force Academy on Thursday.

It took just minutes for that confident and proud group of high school graduates to melt into "doolies" - scared teenagers in a strange world, terrorized by instructors a few years their senior who will run their lives for the next five weeks.

"The emotions that go on this first day show it's a pretty harsh transition," said Senior Cadet Marshall Wills, who is overseeing the latest crop of freshmen. "We're going to break them down and then build them up."

The 1,350 freshmen began gathering at the academy before 7 a.m. for last good-byes from loved ones.

The class of 2013 worked hard to earn entrance to the academy.
Picked from nearly 10,000 applicants, they averaged a 3.86 GPA in high school and scored an average of 1,294 on the SAT.

"It's a proud day and a sad day of mixed emotions," Karin Chun said as she watched her son Andre board a bus that would take him on the short trip to basic training. "I'm so proud of him."

Like many of his classmates, Andrew Leighner has been dreaming of the academy since he was a high school freshman. He wants to fly fighters and saw the academy as the most direct path to the cockpit.

Son of a retired Air Force nurse, Leighner figured he was prepared for what the next five weeks will bring.

But there's little that can prepare doolies for the onslaught they face in their first minutes at the academy.

Any misstep Thursday could draw loud correction from instructors. Egregious conduct, like the new cadet whose legs were shaking, drew as many as half a dozen instructors, all yelling commands in a cacophony that seemed to further bewilder the doolies.

The point of the exercise, instructors explained, is that the academy expects perfection in its 4,000 cadets, no matter how inexperienced they might be.

"One day your choices will determine whether people live or die," Senior Cadet James Sewell yelled at a busload of freshmen.

But there is a measure of mercy among the senior cadets. Just three years ago they were getting off the bus to face the storm of basic training.

"No matter who tells you that you can't do it, stick with it," Senior Cadet Jared Jaime encouraged a half-dozen doolies who were awkwardly adjusting their newly issued camouflage uniforms.

Later, out of earshot from the newcomers, he said, "I remember what that first day was like.

"But tomorrow, it's game-on."

eagle36

hmmm... fail. he's a basic, not a cadet. sadly many of my basics are making that same mistake, calling themselves cadets. lol

eagle36

oh, and i guess by "drill instructor" they mean myself and the other cadre working the footprints. TIs can't yell at basics then

Overachiever16

It's amazing how reporters can't seem to get their stories right.

People read this and believe it, even though the title of "cadet" is something to aim for over the 6 week period, no one should be calling you one if you haven't earned it yet.

A title is like anything else; you work hard to achieve it.

pssgiraffe08

Drill instructors are what they're termed in the marine corps. It's because they have reporters who have no military background reporting on this and fail to proofread.
Hey, eagle, has anyone called you a basic cadet yet?

eagle36

indirectly. they called one of my assistant flight comms one though, even with a sir. "Basic Cadet ____ sir." lol.

for me its usually b/c they mess up reporting statements, so they start with "Basic cadet _____ reports as ordered" (if they can get that part right) instead of starting "Sir, basic cadet _____ ..." they'll get better tho i'm sure.

hornetguy

nice eagle, lol. Mr. Roeder is usually pretty good about the academy, he writes on it all the time. He interviewed me 4 dig year, I liked the guy. Cut him some slack, he does do his best.

Overachiever16

I didn't mean to come off badly. The reporters for my local paper are, well, clueless to say the least. I'm used to reporters taking an answer and moving things around on you.

I've read almost all of our sports sections done by the same reporter. He really has no idea what he's talking about. Seems like he drew the short straw when it came to choosing a section to write.

raimius

Well, I have not been called a basic, yet.

One basic did call the pitcher of water "basic." ("Basic please from the foot of the table. Basic please to basic cadet Y.")

pssgiraffe08

Are you working with aggressors c flight raimus?

Overachiever16

I remember one of the guys in my element having to do that during Summer Seminar.

It took him a long time to get the peanut butter.

raimius

Yes, I'm working Aggressors C.

pssgiraffe08

Haha, someone called a pitcher of water a basic? LOL. That's too funny. Any gender confusion? That's always fun, especially if your cadre make you write home a letter explaining why you're gender confused. And then you spell half of it wrong and your flight commander reads it to your whole flight because of it.

eagle36

we have a squadron staff here who keeps getting called sir. she's had many letters written to her parents explaining why their daughter is a sir