June 18, 2020

Action Beyond the Conversation: Town Hall for the USAFA Family
The Way of Life Alumni Group is presenting a virtual Town Hall this Friday, June 19, 2020, at 5:30 p.m. MT to bring together the USAFA community for a frank conversation about societal change. Register now!

Young Alumni Success and Engagement
No matter the direction your path will take you after graduation, start early by networking for success. During this June 30 virtual event, our 2019 Young Alumni Excellence Award winners will share tips for connecting with your community, standing out among the rest and planning your path to success. Register now!

Virtual March Back: July 18th-31st
Let's come together as a USAFA Family and support the Class of 2024. Though the in-person Graduate March Back has been cancelled, USAFA is going virtual and expanding participation to our entire USAFA family! Between July 18-31, USAFA invites you to join the USAFA community and walk, run or march 6.2 miles in support of the Class of 2024 cadets returning from Basic Cadet Training in Jacks Valley. Learn more and get involved!

Save the date and order ahead to show your support with a replica cadet t-shirt!




Long Blue Line Guide
Inprocessing is fast approaching, and the Association of Graduates and the Air Force Academy Foundation are anxious to welcome the newest members of the USAFA family into the fold! As an introduction to the support and services the AOG and Foundation offer, we've posted an updated "Long Blue Line Guide" on our website. Please take a few moments to get acquainted with the many programs and efforts our organizations are involved in. And stop by Doolittle Hall while you're at the Academy. We'd love to greet you in person!

Distinguished Graduate Videos
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Association of Graduates and the United States Air Force Academy were not able to hold the annual Founders Day Banquet on April 3. As a result, the graduate community was not able to fully recognize this year's five distinguished graduate honorees — Col. (Ret.) Leslie Denend '63, Mr. Fletcher "Flash" Wiley '65, Gen. (Ret.) Norton "Norty" Schwartz '73, Gen. (Ret.) Edward Rice Jr. '78 and Mr. John "Jack" Kucera '78. Over the next five weeks, the AOG will post videos highlighting the life stories of these five newest DGs. The AOG plans to further recognize these honorees at the 2021 Founders Day celebration. But in the meantime, be inspired by the stories these notable USAFA graduates share!

Apology
It's come to our attention that a Class News item in the June 2020 Checkpoints references "a Chinese curse" in discussing the current pandemic. We regret that our team didn't catch the offensive term in editing. We apologize.

New Episode — Heritage Minute
The latest episode of Heritage Minute with AOG Executive Vice President Steve Simon '77 takes a look at the history behind the Sijan Memorial Sculpture, located at the Plaza of Heroes on the Heritage Trail adjacent to Doolittle Hall.

Welcome USAFA Class of 2024, Parents and Families
Don't miss all the action provided by our awesome WebGuy team! WebGuy is a 4-year program designed to provide a window into cadet life. For the family of a new cadet who is entering basic training, WebGuy becomes your new best friend and a great connection to your son or daughter as they take the first steps in their journey at the United States Air Force Academy. WebGuy photographers will keep you connected to the Academy life through blogs and pictures starting on Inprocessing Day all the way up until graduation week! Sign up today so you are ready to catch all the action! Please note: Your Family Plan membership can be paid in full instead of paid monthly — a savings of over $200!

Welcome Prep School Parents and Families
Want to catch an amazing glimpse into life at the Prep School? Watch as WebGuy tells the cadet candidate story and be on the lookout for your son or daughter as they experience this new chapter in their life. JOIN TODAY and have one less thing to worry about leading up to Inprocessing Day! Enroll in our Family Plan Membership before June 30 and you will receive a FREE AF Prep drawstring bag with your purchase. HURRY! This free gift is only available while supplies last! We look forward to serving you and yours for decades to come! (Items included in promotional gift pack are not sold in our AOG Gift Shop. Not available for purchase. One gift per Family Plan Membership purchased for a new Class of 2021/2025 family.)




Dakota Foundation Awards $95,000 to Colorado-Based Literacy Foundation
The Dakota Foundation was founded by Bart Holaday, a 1965 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. The Ian K. Helms Award is named in memory of Capt. Ian K. Helms, a 2008 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. Capt. Helms was a Distinguished Graduate of the Academy and was wing commander (the highest-ranking cadet). He received a graduate degree from Oxford University while studying on an Alberta and Sidney Holaday Scholarship (established by the Dakota Foundation) at Exeter College. Capt. Helms flew a B-1 bomber in combat, supporting U.S. military efforts in the Middle East. He tragically succumbed to cancer in 2016. In honor of Helms' legacy of leadership, patriotism and devotion to service, the Dakota Foundation created the award in his name. Read about this year's recipient — Colorado-based Brink Literacy Project.

Help USAFA Family Businesses
Many Academy graduate-owned and USAFA family-owned businesses are struggling right now due to the global pandemic. Here's how you can help. We've put together a growing list of businesses that could use a helping hand from the Academy family community.

Calling All Grads — Connect with One Another and Cadets
Try out ZoomieLink to connect with fellow graduates and cadets alike!




AOG Service Spotlight
Father's Day is this weekend and this month's AOG Service Spotlight shines on Kevin Divers '98 and his son Zach, a Class of 2021 cadet who returned home from the Academy during this pandemic. They have been manning the Tennessee state COVID-19 hotline and putting their shared sense of service before self into action to help others.

Challenge Extended
In the last couple of months, our daily routines and lives have been greatly impacted by the events around the world. Now more than ever we need to be a force for service and support our Air Force family and local communities. For this reason, we are extending our Service Before Self Challenge to July 31, 2020. For more information, ideas on how to serve and to log your minutes, please visit usafa.org/ServiceBeforeSelf.




AOG Gift Shop
The AOG Gift Shop in Doolittle Hall is now OPEN! Come check out the Gift Shop and tour the memorials in Doolittle Hall. We are open M-F 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. We ask you respect and practice social distancing while in the building and face coverings are required within 6 feet of other people.

Falcon Frenzy Item of the Month
Great for displaying your Academy pride or gifting to a loved one, our lightweight AF Fan Foam will be at its lowest price for the entire month of June. We have a limited quantity available, so get yours now!

Under Armour Gear In Stock
Brand name Under Armour gear is now available through the AOG Gift Shop! Shop online or stop in to Doolittle Hall and check out our gear. As the weather warms up, this gear is great for outdoor activities and showing off your USAFA pride. Get yours now!

2020 Ornament In Stock
Our new 2020 ornament has arrived and is available for purchase! Don't wait until the holidays to get yours. View this one-of-a-kind ornament here to add to or start your collection!

Welcoming the Class of 2024
As we approach Inprocessing Day for the USAFA Class of 2024, we will be stocking a variety of related merchandise. Check out the online gift shop for Inprocessing, family, USAFA fan gear and huge savings on closeout items!




Reading This Ad? So Are Your Customers!
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Wings Over the Rockies Summer Camps
This summer, Wings over the Rockies is offering Air and Space Camp for your 8- to 13-year-old where they will be immersed in a week-long themed aerospace experience. Take a trip to Mars, fly drones, learn about deep space travel and a WHOLE lot more! Learn more!

Military OneSource: Support for Airmen and Their Families
Military OneSource is free, 24/7 support for all things MilLife. This Department of Defense program can connect you and your dependents to info, answers and support like tax services, financial counseling, spouse job opportunities, relocation resources, confidential support and more. See all the ways we can help at MilitaryOneSource.mil. Our mission is you.

We Salute Your Service
Piedmont Airlines values your military service and pilot training. Enjoy the benefits you've earned by letting them help you make the transition to a rewarding civilian career. They'll help you complete the training that puts you in an airline flight deck and custom design your program — with no obligation — to put you on the fastest career path to American Airlines. Click here for more information or check in with a recruiter: Laura.A.Bailey@aa.com

The Bremont USAFA Graduate Watch
The Bremont USAFA Graduate Watch is exclusively for USAFA graduates. Each design features the Academy Crest, Prop and Wings, and "The Long Blue Line." To learn more about this watch, go to: https://www.bremont.com/military-orders/usafa-graduate

Looking to Move to, From, or Within Colorado? Contact Roger Hill, the Realtor You Can Trust!
-USAFA Grad, Class of 1970
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Contact Roger Hill at 303-956-5955 or Roger.Hill1970@gmail.com.

AFA Creations
Rick Broome is one of the most notable aviation and space artists in the world today. His work captures the spirit and wonder of flight from commercial to military aircraft, and from the dawn of aviation to the most advanced aircraft today.