I get regular updates from my alma mater, including this shot of Cadet Luke Plesko ( pilot) and Cadet Owen Hess (copilot) who are part of the Teal 2 Small Unmanned Aircraft System during the Fall Validation Exercise that ran at Stillman Field, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado on Oct. 11, 2025. The two-day field exercise tests leadership, teamwork and warrior ethos. (U.S. Air Force photo by Trevor Cokley).
The Air Force Academy’s digital transformation tries to harmonise military, academic, and athletic missions. Unlike most institutions of higher learning, USAFA wants graduates to “be ready to lead and execute in an uncertain and volatile geopolitical environment…our Nation deserves nothing less and our adversaries are watching."
Fifty years ago, I experienced this same sort of upskilling. I graduated with rudimentary combat skills grounded in adversary-focused military training, nationally recognized and rigorous academics, and highly competitive athletics. I have no doubt that if my 18yo daughter applied, she would excel in the demanding military academy environment.
