I-Day Marks The Arrival Of The Class Of 2030 At The U.S. Air Force Academy - 06/24/26

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Earlier today, families from across the country dropped off their sons and daughters at the U.S. Air Force Academy to begin their 47-month journey to become an officer in the Air Force or Space Force. 

During In-processing Day, also known as I-Day, Academy staff in-processed more than 1,130 appointees in the Class of 2030, from 10,970 applicants. The incoming class included 17 international appointees from: Ghana, Kosovo, Taiwan, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Ecuador, Senegal, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Jordan, Korea, Maldives, Morocco, Pakistan, Thailand, and Togo.

“I-Day is a great day for the Academy, the young men and women that showed up today have taken their first steps toward becoming the warfighters and leaders of character the Air Force and Space Force needs,” said Commandant of Cadets Col. Brandon J. Tellez. “I-Day is where that transformation begins, it’s a milestone the Academy looks forward to every year.”

After the families dropped off their appointees, they were directed to the parking lots at Falcon Stadium and were shuttled to the Academy-hosted I-Day Parents Program at Arnold Hall. This event shared details about the services that are available to cadets throughout their time at the Academy, educated the families on Academy life and connected them with their local Parent Clubs.

In-processing began at the Holaday Athletic Center with administrative and medical paperwork followed by the initial oath of service administered by the Commandant of Cadets.

Following the oath, appointees earned the title of Basic Cadet and met the Cadet Cadre for the first time. Basic Cadets were then transported by bus to the Academy’s iconic footprints to receive an introduction to Air Force and Space Force customs, courtesies, dress, and appearance standards to include haircuts for men, hairstyle instruction and haircuts for women, and the issue of uniforms and other equipment.

The day following I-Day, Basic Cadets will take the Oath of Office at the Swearing-In Ceremony at Stillman Field, where their families are invited to witness them making their formal commitment to serve.

“This year, we have admitted one of our most competitive classes in Academy history, with composite scores coming in seven percent higher than previous averages,” said Col. Candice L. Pipes, Academy Director of Admissions. “Our admissions team did a phenomenal job screening applicants to ensure we are selecting the nation’s best. These young men and women understand the rigor and the profound service obligation they are undertaking and actively chose to answer that call.”

Basic Cadet Training runs for approximately six weeks and is designed to introduce Basic Cadets to military life, build physical and mental resilience, and establish the values that underpin service in the Air Force and Space Force. Their training concludes Aug. 5, during the Acceptance Day Parade on Stillman Field, when the Class of 2030 are formally welcomed into the Cadet Wing as fourth-class cadets.

The U.S. Air Force Academy was established in 1954 and has graduated more than 58,500 officers who have served in every major conflict since the Academy’s founding. Information about the Academy, the Class of 2030, and the I-Day Parent Program is available at usafa.edu. 

Academy Welcomes New 306th FTG Commander (Photo) - 06/08/26

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Col. Paul J. Brehm assumed command of the 306th Flying Training Group from Col. Nancy E. Taylor during a change of command ceremony at Davis Field on the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado, June 3, 2026.

The 306th FTG provides soaring, powered flight, jump, and overall Airmanship training to the Academy’s more than 4,000 cadets. The group runs the third-busiest airfield in the U.S. Air Force, with over 27,000 sorties and 22,000 jumps each year.

“Col. Taylor, you have been the amazing leader that the 306th needed,” said Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, who presided over the ceremony. “Over the past three years you have led the 306th through significant transformation. Most recently, bringing the 306th back to USAFA.”

On April 1, under the guidance of Col. Taylor, a 2001 Academy graduate, the 306th FTG was realigned from the Air Education and Training Command to the Academy. The realignment returns the group to direct Academy oversight for the first time since 2004. With this move, the FTG became a major unit under the Academy headquarters, a move designed to strengthen the Academy’s Airmanship program and further integrate flying training with cadet development.

“What an incredible experience it has been to watch as we mold the next generation of our Air Force and Space Force leaders,” said Col. Taylor. “What we do (at the 306th) isn’t about the numbers; it is what we do with every individual flight and jump. It is about telling a cadet that they are going to control an aircraft by themselves. It is about the airmanship that we instill in the Air Force’s youngest instructor pilots.”

“Under Nancy’s leadership, airmanship was embedded into our most recent Validation exercises as well as our Culminating Exercises, promoting airmindedness into the entire cadet wing,” said Lt. Gen. Bauernfeind. “Nancy, your focus on standards and commitment to cadet airmanship has set a high standard and has set the pathway for the future of the 306th.”

Col. Taylor leaves the Academy to become the commander of the 314th Airlift Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas.

A 2004 graduate of the Academy, Col. Brehm’s prior assignment was as the Academy’s Division Chief for Future Operations, where he was responsible for the planning, coordination, and integration of operations and activities across the installation.

“Paul has already done incredible work in support of our Academy and the airmanship mission,” said Lt. Gen. Bauernfeind. “He brings an unmatched level of combat-tested leadership and operational experience to our Academy. … He understands not only where our cadets are today, but where they are going,” he added. “He knows exactly what our Air Force and Space Force need in tomorrow’s warriors and leaders.”

Lt. Gen. Bauernfeind instructed Col. Brehm to continue building on the 306th’s momentum, prioritize airmanship, maintain a laser focus on standards and safety, continue fostering deliberate leadership for cadets, and create an atmosphere where the demands of military training, academics, and competitive athletics are integrated in harmony.

“I look forward to working alongside you as we continue to graduate the best second lieutenants,” Col. Brehm said to the 306th FTG and Academy personnel in attendance at the ceremony.

 “We are the first experience that many of our cadets will have with a professional military aviation organization,” said Col. Brehm. “Our task is to educate, train, and inspire these future officers to a lifetime of aviation service. We also have the opportunity to provide them with a solid foundation from which to succeed as air-minded leaders. Every flight, every jump, every engagement we have with cadets is a chance to introduce them into the culture of discipline, professionalism, and standards that underlies all Air Force aviation.”