![Photo of the Day Graphic](/web/20080528222137im_/http://www.usafa.af.mil/images/other/pod2billboard03.jpg)
Flemming Award to Academy professor
Academy computer science department professor Dr. Martin Carlisle assists a cadet. He will receive one of 10 2007 Arthur S. Flemming awards in Washington D.C. June 2. (Courtesy photo) - more - 20 May 2008
Seedlings taking root on Academy:
The Academy's Ponderosa pines are welcoming tiny new neighbors. About 1,000 Ponderosa seedlings have joined their more stately elders in four base locations this year. The seedlings are the result of an Academy forestry project begun in 2005 when volunteers, Academy Department of Natural Resources staff and Academy construction contractors came together as a team to collect pinecones for seed extraction. The effort resulted in 100 pounds of high-quality seeds, a green gold mine for the Academy, which could eventually yield nearly a million seedlings. "It was a very critical project," said Diane Strohm, Academy forester. "Collecting cones is an important investment in the future." The seeds, viable for about 20 years, will help re-forest troubled areas for the present, and they are akin to a forestry insurance policy in the event of a catastrophic wildfire on base. About two-thirds of the Academy's 19,000 acres are forested. - continued - 12 May 2008
Annual event brings fun, festivities to Academy families
The carnival atmosphere was too much to resist for more than 750 children and parents who attended Funfest April 18 at the Falcon Trail Youth Center. Jennifer Lingle brought her twin 4-year-old sons, Casey and Ian, to Funfest. "This is our first Funfest here, but we've been to one in San Antonio," said Mrs. Lingle, wife of Capt. Brandon Lingle, while her boys were taking pony rides. "We love Funfest. The kids particularly like the mascots and firefighters." The annual event featured a carnival atmosphere with games, bounce houses, balloon artist, a magician, clowns, live falcons, emergency vehicles, food and much more. Security Forces and the Fire Department brought McGruff the Crime Dog and Sparky. The lovable mascots distributed hugs galore as their co-workers demonstrated equipment and taught safety. - continued - 11 May 2008
Seedlings taking root on Academy:
![Icon for Seedlings taking root on Academy:](http://web.archive.org./web/20080528222137im_/http://www.usafa.af.mil/images/icons/icon2.jpg)
Annual event brings fun, festivities to Academy families
![Icon for Annual event brings fun, festivities to Academy families](http://web.archive.org./web/20080528222137im_/http://www.usafa.af.mil/images/icons/usafa_services_icon.jpg)
Envision Express one-stop shop for deployers
The hard-to-find facility that's a stop for deploying Academy people is hidden away between the Health and Wellness Center and the southeast portion of the massive warehouse near the South Gate. Envision Express is just down a one-way street at 8110 Security Dr., Door 11. You'll find Mr. Jim Gerken and his two assistants there. After getting paperwork from contracting, those readying to deploy go there for issue of cortex jackets and liners, boots, cold weather gear and tactical items like holsters and patches. "Last year was a big year at Academy with 170 people moving through here for deployment," said EE manager Mr. Gerken, a former Army maintenance and logistics senior noncommissioned officer and Gulf War veteran. "A person deploying is the number one priority," he said. "They need to be taken care of at all times." - continued - 10 May 2008
A donation for those who served
A Class of 1968 donation represents lessons greater than the size of the donation--and these lessons are important for 21st century cadets at the Academy. No one says it better than retired Col. Jimmie Butler. "Friendships, camaraderie, and loyalties extend out well beyond graduation," said Colonel Butler. "Those of us who shared combat four decades ago still remember and honor those who didn't come home with us." That respect is spread throughout all who served with dedication during the difficult years of the Vietnam War. - continued - 9 May 2008
World commemorates Jewish Holocaust
No event in the history of human civilization symbolizes more starkly the ability and willingness of some to inflict ghastly and unspeakable horrors on others than the Holocaust. To be sure, other major atrocities have occurred throughout the centuries, particularly the twentieth, in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. But the Jewish Holocaust signaled, perhaps for the first time, a systematic attempt to target a specific population for total destruction. And it nearly worked. Tens of thousands of documents, books, non-fiction films, artifacts and movies have been produced or uncovered depicting every aspect of the Holocaust. It has been proven beyond any rational doubt, despite the best efforts of a small fringe who deny it ever happened. More details are dug up every day. It is a subject, whose evidence occupies good-sized libraries around the world, is displayed in museums and memorials, and preserved in re-constructed concentration camps and other sites where most of it occurre - continued - 8 May 2008
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A donation for those who served
![Icon for A donation for those who served](http://web.archive.org./web/20080528222137im_/http://www.usafa.af.mil/images/icons/icon6.jpg)
World commemorates Jewish Holocaust
![Icon for World commemorates Jewish Holocaust](http://web.archive.org./web/20080528222137im_/http://www.usafa.af.mil/images/icons/icon48.jpg)
Academy modifies programs based on survey
The confidential 2008 Service Academy Gender Relations survey was administered to cadets last week. The survey, which asks questions regarding Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Programs, is mandated and used by Congress, as well as senior Defense officials to gauge the progress on these and other issues. "Cadet input is an essential component of program and institutional evaluation," said Dr. Amanda Lords, Academy psychologist. "We need to hear from cadets to assess how well we are doing and to identify what can be done better." Cadets were advised not to include any identifying comments to questions. They were administered via paper and pencil and sealed in a plain envelope to ensure anonymity. No identifying information was collected that could trace a specific response to an individual cadet. The results of this and other Academy surveys are used locally and by Congress. - continued - 8 May 2008
USAFA Acute Care Clinic Opening: 1 April
A major change will take place at the Air Force Academy Hospital April 1st when the Emergency Department is closed and an Acute Care Clinic (ACC) opens. This new appointment-based clinic will be available to cadets, active duty and other TRICARE Prime/TRICARE Plus enrollees 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Other Department of Defense patients will be given appointments on a space-available basis. - more - 28 March 2008
Emergency Department Closure -Just 2 Months Away
The USAF Academy Hospital (10 MDG) will close its Emergency Department (ED) on 1 April 2008 and open an Acute Care Clinic (ACC). This comes as the first stage in the conversion of the hospital to an outpatient clinic with an ambulatory surgery center. - more - 29 February 2008
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USAFA Acute Care Clinic Opening: 1 April
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Emergency Department Closure -Just 2 Months Away
![Icon for Emergency Department Closure -Just 2 Months Away](http://web.archive.org./web/20080528222137im_/http://www.usafa.af.mil/images/icons/icon2.jpg)
'84 grad on Aug. 7 space shuttle crew
A 1984 Academy graduate was among the Space Shuttle Endeavor's astronaut crew that arrived at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Fla., earlier this month. "It was the same as every time I'd first see any aircraft that I was going to qualify on," said Col. Benjamin Drew, an Endeavor mission specialist. "It was beautiful and exciting to behold -- I got to enjoy a few brief moments of awe before getting on to the busy work and detailed preparations for flying." Mission specialist is a catch-all title for a number of disciplines. It covers flight engineer duties on launch and re-entry, space walking, remotely operating the mechanical arm to deploy and retrieve payload bay stores, performing ship engineer maintenance and fabrication duties on orbit, medical officer duties and load mastering. - continued - 20 July 2007
Multi-million dollar contract in place
CH2M HILL Academy Services, Llc. has been awarded the contract to provide civil engineering and cadet support services to the Academy. The contract covers a one-year base and six, one-year options. It has a potential value of more than $150 million. The Englewood, Colo., company is a CH2M HILL-led joint venture with KIRA, which provides similar services at Fort Carson. - continued - 20 July 2007
Grad gets BIG Award
A 1990 Academy graduate has won the Blacks in Government Meritorious Service Award for 2007. Lt. Col. Joseph Richardson, director of operations for the 128th Airborne Command and Control Squadron at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., will accept the award at the 29th Annual National BIG Training Conference in Nashville, Tenn., Aug. 17. - continued - 20 July 2007
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Multi-million dollar contract in place
![Icon for Multi-million dollar contract in place](http://web.archive.org./web/20080528222137im_/http://www.usafa.af.mil/images/icons/icon2.jpg)
Grad gets BIG Award
![Icon for Grad gets BIG Award](http://web.archive.org./web/20080528222137im_/http://www.usafa.af.mil/images/icons/icon6.jpg)
Retiree Appreciation Day
The annual Retiree Appreciation Day is 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 14 at Peterson AFB. This free event will feature a barbecue, speakers and information fair. Guest speakers, Congressman Doug Lamborn and commanders of the medical groups at the Air Force Academy, Fort Carson, Peterson AFB and the Veterans Administration are scheduled to speak from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the base auditorium. A barbecue luncheon will be held 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Eagle Park. An information fair will be at the fitness center. Parking is available at the base auditorium (near the Commissary) and shuttle buses will run to and from the auditorium, fitness center and Eagle Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event is open to anyone who has access to Peterson AFB. For information, call the retiree office at 556-7153. 10 July 2007
Cadets learn deployment, base defense
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. - Cadets learn how to deploy, fight, survive and return home, with this summer's Global Engagement exercises. The media is invited to see this training here Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. during a mock-attack exercise. Global Engagement is a nine-day-long summer course that introduces sophomore cadets to the Expeditionary Air Force concept of deploying to a crisis situation, establishing a bare-base operation, executing the mission, defending their base, and re-deploying home. - continued - 9 July 2007
Class of 2011 Arrives with impressive credentials
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. - The 1,304 members of the U.S. Air Force Academy's Class of 2011 arrive Thursday to in-process and begin basic cadet training here. 'The Class of 2011 arrives here Thursday with very impressive credentials,' said Lt. Gen. John F. Regni, Academy Superintendent. 'We look forward to working with and guiding these young men and women throughout their four-year Academy experience.' - continued - 27 June 2007
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Cadets learn deployment, base defense
![Icon for Cadets learn deployment, base defense](http://web.archive.org./web/20080528222137im_/http://www.usafa.af.mil/images/icons/icon4.jpg)
Class of 2011 Arrives with impressive credentials
![Icon for Class of 2011 Arrives with impressive credentials](http://web.archive.org./web/20080528222137im_/http://www.usafa.af.mil/images/icons/icon18B.jpg)