Happy Birthday Air Force!
On this day, the Air Force became the fourth branch of the DOD with the implementation of the National Security Act of 1947. As Gen. Goldfein '83 said today, "72 years of being the best Air Force on the planet! And we're only going to get better!"

• Astronaut Nick Hague '98 sent his best wishes from space.

Photos: RAF Red Arrows
As part of their most extensive visit to North America in more than a decade, the RAF Red Arrows couldn't pass on an iconic flyby of the Academy!

AF Academy Hails Accomplishments of Former Dean Armacost at Retirement Ceremony
Brig. Gen. Andy Armacost said goodbye to the Air Force Academy Sept. 13. You could tell it wasn't easy for the school's former dean or his family, friends and coworkers to accept, but there he was, capping off a 30-year military career with an official retirement ceremony in Arnold Hall.

'Reaching Out Is Invaluable': All Airmen Have Role in Preventing Suicide
September might be Suicide Awareness Month across the Defense Department, but the Peak Performance Center is concerned about this issue year-round.

• Video: Save 22 A Day. Grad bikes across U.S. to raise suicide awareness.

Distinguished Graduate Award Nomination Deadline Nears
We are accepting nominations for the 2019 Distinguished Graduate Award. All nomination packages are due to the AOG no later than Oct. 1, 2019.

7258' — Your Association at Work
Read the latest issue of the AOG's newsletter that features the launching of a new graduate network — ZoomieLink — and an enhanced Career Center.

Latest Leading Edge Newsletter is Online
From supporting the Wings of Blue parachute team to sending cadets to the battlefields of Gettysburg to strengthening cadet programs, private philanthropy has daily impact on those who have been called to serve.

Discovering the Keys to Success
Cadets receive valuable assistance in difficult subjects across all academic disciplines at the Academy's Academic Success Center. An article on the center appears in the latest Checkpoints magazine.

Submit Your Photos for the 2020 AFAF Calendar
The deadline for submitting photos for the 2020 Air Force Academy Fund calendar is Sept. 20, 2019. Show your support for the Air Force Academy and inspire others to give to the Air Force Academy Fund.

Childs Joins Endowment Board
Dr. John Childs '94 has joined the board of directors for the United States Air Force Academy Endowment. "I wanted to serve on the Endowment's board of directors as an opportunity to give back and ultimately leave our beloved USAFA in a better place than we found it," Childs says.

Honoring Former Dean of the Faculty, Brig. Gen. Andrew Armacost
To honor Brig. Gen. Andrew Armacost's incredible work at the Air Force Academy, the USAFA Endowment is conducting a fundraising campaign in support of the Dean's Discretionary Fund. The fund supports programs in the Dean of Faculty mission element. Thank you, Gen. Armacost!

Continuing Service
Tim Jefferson '12 may best be known for being the first quarterback in school history to start in four bowl games. He is currently preparing for a deployment to the Middle East in the coming months where he is scheduled to fly the E-11A.

A Lifetime of Service
Keeping an eye out for his "teammates" is something Col. Tim Kirk '93 has always done and will continue to do. Kirk was recognized with Senator Martha McSally '88's 2019 Veterans of Distinction award for his dedication to serving his country and veterans of the United States military.

Veterans Story: Mike Blassie - Coming Home
Mike Blassie '70 was deployed to Vietnam to serve with the 8th Special Operations Squadron. Tragically, he was killed in action on May 11, 1972. His remains were initially buried in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, but later exhumed and confirmed.

• Coming home - the final chapter

Academy Cadet Shares 9/11 Story
Eighteen years ago, in the midst of the 9/11 attacks, terrorists slammed a hijacked Boeing 757 into the Pentagon. Hanna Born, now a cadet at the Air Force Academy, and her infant sister, Heather, were in daycare when the plane tore through the west side of the building. Hanna was 3 years old.

• Photos: USAFA 9/11 Memorial Ceremony

'Some Gave All, All Gave Some': AF Academy Pays Tribute to 'Spooky' Crew Members
A monument engraved with the names of 86 airmen who died in the Vietnam War was unveiled at the Air Force Academy, Sept. 6. All were AC-47 Spooky crew members killed in action.

'LiveSafe' App Promotes Cadets' Safety at AF Academy
Air Force Academy cadets are using a cellphone app developed by a survivor of the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007 to stay safe and connect with a variety of helping agencies.

Academy Cadet, Pilot Says Family Support Keeps His Dreams Aloft
As a boy, Alexander Brown had a big dream: become a pilot. Brown, now a senior at the Air Force Academy, said his family helped him turn that dream into a realistic goal.

AF Academy Cadets Compete for 1st Time in Reserve Officers' Competition in Estonia
Two cadets and an officer at the Air Force Academy helped Team USA win several medals at a military challenge in Estonia last month.

Air Force Knocks off Colorado in OT Thriller, 30-23
The Air Force Academy football (2-0) team needed a little extra time, but in the end was able to knock off in-state rival Colorado in overtime, 30-23, Saturday afternoon, Sept. 14, at Folsom Field. It was the first meeting between the teams since 1974.

• Air Force (2-0) at #20 Boise State (3-0) Friday Night
• Senior QB named to AFCA Good Works Team

Ready for Football? Tailgate with Us!
Join the AOG, USAFA Endowment and ARDI as we gather Air Force fans from around the country at our away game tailgates this season!

• Sept. 20 — AF at Boise State
• Oct. 5 — AF at Navy
• Oct. 19 — AF at Hawaii
• Nov. 9 — AF at New Mexico
• Nov. 16 — AF at CSU