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List of United States Air Force Academy alumni

The United States Air Force Academy is an undergraduate college in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with the mission of educating and commissioning officers for the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. The Academy was established in 1954, entered its first class in 1955, and graduated its first class in 1959. All students hold the Air Force rank of "Cadet."[1] Sports media refer to the Academy as "Air Force"; this usage is officially endorsed.[2] Most cadets are admitted through a congressional appointment system.[3] The curriculum is broad-based but has traditionally emphasized science and engineering.[4] Before the Academy's first graduating class in 1959, the United States Military Academy and United States Naval Academy were the primary sources of officers for the Air Force and its predecessors, the Army Air Corps and Army Air Forces. Though the primary focus of the Academy is for the Air Force and Space Force, some graduates are given the option of "cross-commissioning" into the United States Army, United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, or United States Coast Guard.[5]

Traditional hat toss and flyover by Air Force Thunderbirds at the graduation ceremony at the United States Air Force Academy
Logo of the Air Force Academy

This list is drawn from graduates, non-graduate former cadets, current cadets, and faculty of the Air Force Academy. Over 410 noted scholars from a variety of academic fields are Academy graduates, including: 41 Rhodes Scholars, 24 Marshall Scholars, 13 Harry S. Truman Scholars, 115 John F. Kennedy School of Government Scholars, and 31 Gerahart Scholars.[6] Additional notable graduates include 794 general officers, 164 graduates who were killed in combat, 36 repatriated prisoners of war, 1 Medal of Honor recipient, and 2 combat aces.[6] 39 Academy graduates have become astronauts, second among institutions of higher learning only to the United States Naval Academy, with 52.[7]

Academics

"Class year" refers to the individual's class year, which usually is the same as the individual's graduation year. In times of war, academy classes may graduate early, but this has never happened yet at the Air Force Academy.
NameClass yearNotabilityReferences
Bradley C. Hosmer1959Lieutenant General; first graduate in the order of merit in the first class at the Academy; Academy's first Rhodes Scholar; first graduate to return to the Academy as Superintendent of the Air Force Academy (1991–1994)[8]
Ruben A. Cubero1961Brigadier General; combat pilot veteran of the Vietnam War; first Hispanic Dean of Faculty at the Academy[9]
Ervin Rokke1962Lieutenant General; first USAFA graduate to be Dean of Faculty at the Academy, 1984–86; President of National Defense University 1994–97; President of Moravian College 1997–2006
Tad J. Oelstrom1965Director of the National Security Program, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy (1997–2000)[10][11]
Frank Klotz1973Lieutenant General; Rhodes scholar; Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command; missilier[12]
Linda Garcia Cubero1980Member of the first class of women to graduate from the United States Air Force Academy, thus the first Hispanic woman to graduate from any service academy[13]
Michelle D. Johnson1981Lieutenant General; jet transport/tanker pilot; first woman USAF Academy Rhodes Scholar; first woman Cadet Wing Commander; Academic All American Basketball player (1981–82); inaugural member USAF Academy Sports Hall of Fame (2007); Air Force Aide to the President of the United States (1992–94); Superintendent of the Air Force Academy 2013–2017[14]
Heather Wilson1982Rhodes Scholar; first graduate elected to the United States Congress; U.S. Representative from New Mexico's 1st congressional district (1998–2009); President of South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (2013–2017); first graduate appointed as Secretary of the Air Force (2017–present)[15]
Dana H. Born1983Brigadier General; first female Dean of Faculty at the Academy
Thomas W. Krise198313th President of Pacific Lutheran University 2012–2017[17]
Christopher B. Howard1991Rhodes Scholar; President of Hampden-Sydney College, 2009-16; President of Robert Morris University, 2016-[18]
Hila Levy2008First Puerto-Rican Rhodes Scholar (2008)[19]
Linell Letendre1996Lawyer and Dean of the Faculty[20]
Aryemis C. Brown2021Rhodes Scholar; United States Space Force officer[21]
Kyrolos I. Georgey2023Marshall Scholar; United States Air Force officer[22]
Ruben Cubero
Dana Born

Superintendents of the Academy

NameClass yearNotabilityReferences
Bradley C. Hosmer1959Lieutenant General; first graduate in the order of merit in the first class at the Academy; Academy's first Rhodes Scholar; first graduate to return to the Academy as Superintendent of the Air Force Academy (1991–1994)[8]
Tad J. Oelstrom1965Director of the National Security Program, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy (1997–2000)[10][11]
Paul E. Stein1966Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy (1994–1997)[23]
John R. Dallager1969Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy (2000–2003)[24]
John F. Regni1973Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy (2005–2009)[25]
Michael C. Gould1976Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy (2009–2013); commander of Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center (2000–2002)[26][27]
Michelle D. Johnson1981Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy (2013–2017);[28]
Jay B. Silveria1985Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy (2017–2020);[29]
Richard M. Clark1986Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy (2020–present)[30]
Current Superintendent: Richard M. Clark

Astronauts

NameClass yearNotabilityReferences
Karol J. Bobko1959Pilot of STS-6; commanded STS-51-D and STS-51-J;
only astronaut to have flown on the maiden flight of two Space Shuttle orbiters ( Challenger and Atlantis)		[31]
Frederick D. Gregory1964Pilot of STS-51-B; commanded STS-33 and STS-44; Former Deputy Administrator and former acting Administrator for NASA; first African American to command any space vehicle[32]
John E. Blaha1965Pilot of STS-29 and STS-33; commanded STS-43 and STS-58, also flew a long-duration spaceflight on the Mir space station[33]
Roy D. Bridges, Jr.1965Major General; Pilot of STS-51-F; Director of the Kennedy Space Center (1997–2003) and Director of Langley Research Center (2003–2005)[34]
John Casper1966Pilot of STS-36; commanded STS-54, STS-62 and STS-77[35]
Ronald J. Grabe1966Pilot of STS-51-J and STS-30; commanded STS-42 and STS-57[36]
Charles L. Veach1966Mission specialist on STS-39 and STS-52[37]
Loren Shriver1967Pilot of STS-51-C; commanded STS-31 and STS-46[38]
Richard O. Covey1968Pilot of STS-51-I and STS-26; commanded STS-38 and STS-61[39]
Guy Gardner1969STS-27, STS-35[40]
Gary Payton1971Payload Spspecialistecialist on STS-51-C[41]
Sidney M. Gutierrez1973Pilot of STS-40 and commanded STS-59[42]
L. Blaine Hammond1973Pilot of STS-39 and STS-64[43]
Terence T. Henricks1974Pilot of STS-44 and STS-55; commanded STS-70 and STS-78[44]
Mark C. Lee1974Mission specialist on STS-30, STS-64 and STS-82; payload commander of STS-47[45]
Donald R. McMonagle1974Mission specialist on STS-39, pilot of STS-54 and commanded STS-66[46]
William A. Pailes1974Payload specialist on STS-51-J[47]
Ronald M. Sega1974Major General; mission specialist on STS-60 and STS-76; Former Undersecretary of the United States Air Force[48]
Brian Duffy1975Pilot of STS-45 and STS-57; commanded STS-72 and STS-92[49]
Kevin P. Chilton1976General; only astronaut to reach 4-star rank; Pilot of STS-49 and STS-59; commanded STS-76; former commander of United States Strategic Command[50]
Thomas D. Jones1977Mission specialist on STS-59, STS-80 and STS-98; payload commander on STS-68[51]
Charles J. Precourt1977Mission specialist on STS-55; Pilot of STS-71; commanded STS-84 and STS-91[52]
Curtis Brown1978Pilot of STS-47, STS-66 and STS-77; commanded STS-85, STS-95 and STS-103[53]
James D. Halsell1978Pilot of STS-65 and STS-74; commanded STS-83, STS-94 and STS-101[54]
Kevin R. Kregel1978Pilot of STS-70 and STS-78; commanded STS-87 and STS-99[55]
Richard A. Searfoss1978Pilot of STS-58 and STS-76; commanded STS-90[56]
William G. Gregory1979Pilot of STS-67[57]
Susan J. Helms1980Lieutenant general; mission specialist on STS-54, STS-64, STS-78 and STS-101; flight engineer of International Space Station Expedition 2; a member of the first class of women to graduate from the United States Air Force Academy[58]
Michael J. Bloomfield1981Pilot of STS-86 and STS-97; commanded STS-110[59]
Steven W. Lindsey1982Pilot of STS-87 and STS-95; commanded STS-104, STS-121 and STS-133[60]
B. Alvin Drew1984Mission specialist on STS-118 and STS-133[61]
Gregory H. Johnson1984Pilot of STS-123, pilot of STS-134[62]
James M. Kelly1986Pilot of STS-102 and STS-114[63]
Eric A. Boe1987Pilot of STS-126 and STS-133[64]
Terry W. Virts1989Pilot of STS-130[65]
James Dutton1991Pilot of STS-131[66]
Kjell Lindgren1995Expedition 44, Expedition 45[67]
Jack Fischer1996Expedition 51, Expedition 52[68]
Nick Hague1998Soyuz MS-10, Soyuz MS-12[69]
Frederick Gregory
Sidney Gutierrez
Mark Lee
Susan Helms
B. Alvin Drew
James Kelly

Athletes

NameClass yearNotabilityReferences
Brock Strom1959Air Force Academy’s first All-American; captain of the undefeated 1958 USAFA football team that tied TCU in the Cotton Bowl; inducted into the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame, Michigan, in 1977, the College Football Hall of Fame in 1985, the CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame in 1991, and the Air Force Academy Athletic Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural class in 2007
Gregg Popovich1970Head coach (1997–) of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) San Antonio Spurs who led the team to NBA championships in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014; three-time NBA Coach of the Year (2003, 2012, 2014)[70]
Len Salvemini19751972 Third Team and 1974 Second Team All American soccer player; holds Falcon career goals and points records; played for 1976 U.S. Olympic soccer team; played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League[71]
Randall W. Spetman1976Athletic director at Florida State University (2008–2013); former athletic director at the Academy (1996–2003) and Utah State University (2004–2008)[72]
Bob Djokovich1978Team handball player which competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics Los Angeles; 6th President of USA Team Handball[73]
Tom Schneeberger1978Team handball player, competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics Los Angeles, United States men's national basketball team player and ninth round draft choice of the Denver Nuggets in the 1978 NBA draft[73]
William Roy1981Former U.S. Olympian and world champion in skeet shooting; captain of 1996 U.S. Olympic shooting team; Professor of English at United States Air Force Academy; Boeing 747 pilot for United Airlines[74]
Alonzo Babers1983Winner of two gold medals (400m and 4×400m relay) at the 1984 Summer Olympics; Boeing 777 pilot for United Airlines[75]
Kathy Callaghan1984Team handball player, competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics Seoul, won a gold medal at the 1987 Pan American Games Indianapolis, 1986 Military Athlete of the Year and coach of USAFA Team Handball[73][76]
Ted Sundquist1984General Manager of Denver Broncos (2002–2008); Director of College Scouting (1995–2001)[77]
Chad Hennings1988A-10 Thunderbolt pilot; winner of the Outland Trophy; football player for NFL's Dallas Cowboys (1992–2001); earned three Super Bowl rings; 2006 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame[78]
Troy Calhoun1989Head coach of the Air Force football team (2006–); former offensive coordinator for the Houston Texans (2006)[79]
Dee Dowis1990USAFA quarterback 1987-89; set the NCAA Division I career record for rushing yards by a quarterback; Western Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year; inducted into the Air Force Athletics Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2009 and the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame in 2011[80]
Bryce Fisher1999Played for Buffalo Bills, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans
Dan Nwaelele2007Basketball player, formerly in the NBA D-League and now with Levallois Metropolitans in France
Chad Hall2008NFL wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles 2010–2012; wide receiver for San Francisco 49ers 2012–present[81]
Ben Garland2010NFL defensive end for the Denver Broncos 2010–2012; offensive guard 2012–present[82]
Tom Whitney2010Professional golfer, 2010–present[83][84]
Jim Walmsley2012Ultramarathoner, 2014–present[85]
Kyle Westmoreland2014First Air Force Academy graduate to make the cut at the U.S. Open (made at 2021 U.S. Open)[86]
Madison Tung2019Rhodes Scholar; first female wrestler on the Air Force Academy men's wrestling team[87]
Alonzo Babers (with baton)

Businesspeople

NameClass yearNotabilityReferences
Gerard Finneran1959Expert on Third World debt during Wall Street career with Citibank, Drexel Burnham Lambert and TCW; known for 1995 air rage incident in which he defecated off a food cart[88][89]
T. Allen McArtor1964Senior manager, FedEx (1979–1987, 1989–1994); administrator of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (1987–1989); former CEO, Legend Airlines; current chair, Airbus, North American Holdings[90]
Richard T. Schlosberg1965Former president and CEO of the David & Lucile Packard Foundation; former publisher and CEO of the Los Angeles Times; Vietnam War veteran[91]
Robert J. Thomas1967Former president and CEO of Nissan Motor Corporation USA
J.W. "Wild Bill" Stealey1970CEO of iEntertainment Network; founder of MicroProse Software and Interactive Magic[92]
Grady Booch1977Developer of the Unified Modeling Language and the Booch method in software engineering[93]
Charles E. Phillips Jr.1981President of the Oracle Corporation; served as a captain in the United States Marine Corps after graduation from the academy[94]
Charles Patrick Garcia1983President of Sterling Hispanic Markets Capital Group[95]
Grady Booch

Civilian aviation

NameClass yearNotabilityReferences
Chesley Sullenberger1973Captain who safely ditched US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River[96]
LeRoy Homer1987Co-pilot of United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked and crashed in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001[97]
Charles Edward Jones1974Passenger on American Flight 11, flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001[98]
Chesley Sullenberger

Government

NameClass yearNotabilityReferences
Hansford T. Johnson1959General; first graduate to be promoted to the rank of four-star General (on October 01, 1989); Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Installations and Environment (2001–2005); Acting Secretary of the Navy (2003); pilot; Vietnam War veteran[99]
T. Allen McArtor1964Senior manager FedEx (1979–1987, 1989–1994); administrator of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (1987–1989); former CEO, Legend Airlines; current chair, Airbus, North American Holdings[90]
F. Michael Burkett1970Assistant Minority Leader of the Idaho State Senate (1989–1992, 2002–2008)[100]
Chuck Reed1970Mayor of San Jose, California (2007–); graduated first in his class and scored the maximum on the Physical Readiness Test; his daughter Kim Reed-Campbell was also first in her Academy class[101][102]
Gary A. Grappo1972United States Ambassador to Oman (2006–); career Foreign Service Officer[103]
William "T" Thompson1973Commissioner, Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission, Boston, MA (1983–2000); Commissioner, Governor's Minority Business Commission (1987–1990); President and CEO, the Summit Group Companies (1981–2008), President and CEO, Association of Graduates, United States Air Force Academy (2008–), Colorado Aeronautical Board (2012-)[104]
John C. Inglis1976Brigadier General; Deputy Director of the National Security Agency (2006–2014); U.S. National Cyber Director (2021–)[105]
Joseph R. McLaughlin1976Commissioned into the United States Army; infantry platoon leader in the 82nd Airborne Division; Republican member of the Onslow County, North Carolina Board of Commissioners, candidate for U.S. Congress challenging incumbent Walter B. Jones, Jr. for the Republican nomination in North Carolina's 3rd congressional district in 2008[106]
James B. Smith1974Brigadier General; United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia (2009–2013); Dean of Engineering, Technology, and Aeronautics at Southern New Hampshire University[107]
Michael L. "Mikey" Weinstein1977Legal counsel to the Reagan White House; Committee Management Officer of the Iran-Contra Investigation while Assistant General Counsel of the White House Office of Administration; founder and president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF)[108]
Geoff Mulligan1979Presidential Innovation Fellow serving the OSTP and NIST on Cyber-Physical Systems; co-creator of the White House SmartAmerica Challenge[109]
Steve Dickson197918th Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration
Heather Wilson1982First graduate confirmed as Secretary of the Air Force (2017–2019); Rhodes Scholar; U.S. Representative from New Mexico's 1st congressional district (1998–2009); first graduate elected to the United States Congress; President, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (2013–2017)[110]
Martha McSally1988Appointed to serve out remaining two years of late GOP Sen. John McCain's term by Gov. Doug Ducey (2019–2020); first U.S. Air Force Academy graduate to be appointed to U.S Senate; pilot; retired as a Colonel (United States) in May 2010 after serving 22 years as a Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot[111]
Chee Meng Ng1991Singaporean politician, current Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress; previously Chief of Defence Force of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) 2013–2015[112]
Gary Grappo
John Inglis
William 'T' Thompson

Legislators

NameClass yearNotabilityReferences
Kent Lambert1974Colonel; Colorado State Representative (2007–)[103]
Matthew K. Fong1975Former Chair of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation advisory committee; Treasurer of the State of California (1995–1999); Republican candidate for the United States Senate in the State of California in 1998[113]
Bob Gardner1976Colorado State Senator (2017–); Colorado State Representative (2007–2013)[114]
Daryl Jones1977Florida State Representative (1990–1992); Florida State Senator (1992–2002); Florida gubernatorial candidate (2002); unsuccessful nominee for Secretary of the Air Force (1998)[115]
Charlie Ross1978Fighter pilot; Mississippi State Representative (1997–1998); Mississippi State Senator (1998–2007)[116]
Heather Wilson1982Rhodes Scholar; U.S. Representative from New Mexico's 1st congressional district (1998–2009); first graduate elected to the United States Congress[15]
Martha McSally1988U.S. Representative from Arizona's 2nd congressional district (2015–2019); U.S. Senator from Arizona (2019–2020)[111]
David L. Englin1996Virginia House of Delegates (2006–2012)[117]
Jennifer Parenti1995Lieutenant Colonel; Colorado State Representative (2022–)[118]
Gregory R. Ball2001New York State Assemblyman (2007–)[119]
Troy StubbsMember of the Alabama House of Representatives[120]
Kent Lambert
Heather Wilson
Bob Gardner

Literary figures

NameClass yearNotabilityReferences
Doug Beason1977Science fiction novelist; Ph.D in physics[121]
Susan Grant1982New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 20 books; RITA Award winner;[122] B-777 pilot, United Airlines; guest speaker (Class of 2015 Ring Dance)[123]
John Robb1984Author of Brave New War; Fourth Generation War theorist[124]

Air Force figures

Air Force Chiefs of Staff

NameClass yearNotabilityReferences
John M. Loh1960General; Commander, Tactical Air Command; Commander, Air Combat Command, Vice Chief of Staff, and Acting Chief of Staff of the Air Force (1990–1991, acting); fighter pilot[125]
Ronald R. Fogleman1963General; first graduate to serve as Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force (1994–1997); fighter pilot; Vietnam War veteran[126]
Michael E. Ryan1965General; Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force (1997–2001); Distinguished Flying Cross recipient for aerial combat in Vietnam; father John Dale Ryan also served as Chief of Staff (1969–1973) and was a bomber pilot in World War II[127]
Norton A. Schwartz1973General; Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force (2008–2012); C-130/helicopter pilot[128]
Mark A. Welsh III1976General; Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force (2012–2016); A-10, F-16 pilot[129]
David L. Goldfein1983General; Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force (2016–); F-16 pilot[130]
Ron Fogleman

Air Force Vice Chiefs of Staff

NameClass yearNotabilityReferences
Michael P.C. Carns1959General; Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force (1991–1994); fighter pilot; Distinguished Flying Cross recipient for aerial combat in Vietnam[131]
John M. Loh1960General; Commander, Tactical Air Command; Commander, Air Combat Command; Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force; Acting Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force (1990–1991, acting); fighter pilot[125]
Ralph Eberhart1968General; Commander, United States Space Command; Commander, United States Northern Command; Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force (1997–1999); Distinguished Flying Cross recipient; combat veteran of Vietnam and Gulf War[132]
Duncan J. McNabb1974General; Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force (2008–2011)[133]
David W. Allvin1986General; Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force (2020–)[134]
Ralph Eberhart

Commanders of Air Force Major Commands

NameClass yearNotabilityReferences
Robert C. Oaks1959General; Commander, Air Training Command; Commander, United States Air Forces in Europe; fighter pilot[135]
Ronald W. Yates1960General; Commander, Air Force Materiel Command; Commander, Air Force Systems Command; test pilot; combat veteran of Vietnam War[136]
George Lee Butler1961General; Commander, United States Strategic Command; Distinguished Flying Cross recipient; fighter and bomber pilot; combat veteran of Vietnam War[137]
Richard E. Hawley1964General; Commander, Air Combat Command; Distinguished Flying Cross recipient (three); combat veteran of Vietnam War[138]
John G. Lorber1964General; Commander, Pacific Air Forces; Distinguished Flying Cross recipient (two); fighter pilot; combat veteran of Vietnam War[139]
Howell M. Estes III1965General; Commander, United States Space Command; Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command; Commander, Air Force Space Command; Distinguished Flying Cross recipient (two); fighter pilot; combat veteran of Vietnam War[140]
William J. Begert1968General; Commander, Pacific Air Forces; Distinguished Flying Cross recipient (two); pilot; combat veteran of Vietnam War[141]
Charles R. Holland1968General; Commander, United States Special Operations Command; Distinguished Flying Cross recipient; AC-130 gunship pilot; combat veteran of Vietnam War[142]
Charles T. Robertson1968General; Commander, United States Transportation Command; Commander, Air Mobility Command; Distinguished Flying Cross recipient (two); AC-130 gunship, bomber, and tanker pilot; combat veteran of Vietnam War[143]
William R. Looney III1972General; Commander, Air Education and Training Command; pilot; combat veteran of Operation Southern Watch[144]
John D. W. Corley1973General; Commander, Air Combat Command; fighter pilot[145]
Frank Klotz1973Lieutenant General; Rhodes scholar; Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command; missileer[12]
Stephen R. Lorenz1973General; Commander, Air Education and Training Command; pilot[146]
Carrol Chandler1974General; Commander, Pacific Air Forces; fighter pilot[147]
Donald J. Hoffman1974General; Commander, Air Force Materiel Command; fighter pilot[148]
Douglas M. Fraser1975General; Commander, United States Southern Command; fighter pilot[149]
Robert Oaks
Charles Holland
Stephen Lorenz

Notable Vietnam War combatants

NameClass yearNotabilityReferences
Victor Joe Apodaca, Jr1961Major; first Native American (Navajo) graduate of the United States Air Force Academy; Vietnam War Aircraft Commander, F-4C fighter pilot; shot down over North Vietnam on June 8th, 1967, listed as Missing in Action (MIA); remains returned 2001[150][151][152]
James P. Ulm1961Brigadier General; commander of the 8th Flying Training Squadron and 14th Flying Training Wing[153]
Richard Stephen Ritchie1964Brigadier General; Vietnam War pilot flying ace; Air Force Cross recipient[154]
Robin G. Tornow1964Brigadier General; commander of the 334th Tactical Fighter Squadron; commander of the 405th Tactical Training Wing; commander of the United States Air Force Southern Air Division; Commandant of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps; recipient of the Silver Star and Legion of Merit[155]
Lance Sijan1965Captain; prisoner of war during the Vietnam War; fighter pilot; first graduate to be awarded the Medal of Honor; the Air Force Lance P. Sijan Award for leadership in one's career and personal life is named in his honor[156]
Nicholas Kehoe1966Lieutenant General; fighter pilot during the Vietnam War; Inspector General, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force; Assistant Inspector General in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); President and CEO of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society (2003–)[157]
Dale Stovall1967Brigadier General; Vietnam War rescue pilot; recipient of the Air Force Cross and Jabara Award; 12 successful rescue missions including Roger Locher, the deepest rescue inside North Vietnam[158]
Jeffrey Feinstein1968Colonel; Vietnam War weapons systems officer flying ace[159]
Michael Blassie1970First Lieutenant; A-37B Dragonfly attack aircraft pilot; prior to identification of his remains, Blassie was the unknown service member from the Vietnam War laid to rest at the Tomb of the Unknowns (1984–1998)[160]
Vic Apodaca
Lance Sijan
Michael Blassie

Notable Gulf War combatants

NameClass yearNotabilityReferences
Patrick P. Caruana1963Lieutenant General; commander of the 14th Air Force; Vice Commander of Air Force Space Command[161]
John A. Warden III1965Colonel; noted air power theorist; Air Force Distinguished Service Medal recipient[162]
Charles C. Baldwin1969Major General; Chief of Chaplains[163]
John F. Nichols1979Brigadier General; Commander of the Texas Air National Guard[164]
Brent Brandon1984Captain; EF-111 pilot who downed an Iraqi F-1EQ in an air-to-air engagement on the first day of Operation Desert Storm; Distinguished Flying Cross recipient for aerial combat during the Gulf War[165]

Notable War on Terror combatants

NameClass yearNotabilityReferences
C. Donald Alston1978Major General; commander of the 12th Missile Squadron, 341st Operations Group, 341st Space Wing and Twentieth Air Force[166]
Martha McSally1988Colonel; although American women had been flying combat missions in traditionally "non-combat" aircraft (airlift, tankers, helicopters) for years, she became the first American woman to fly a "combat" aircraft in combat since the lifting of the 1991 prohibition of women in combat; veteran of Operation Southern Watch and Operation Enduring Freedom; elected to Congress in 2014, representing Arizona's 2nd congressional district[167]
Kim Reed-Campbell1997Colonel; graduated first in her class, as did her father Chuck Reed; Distinguished Flying Cross recipient for aerial combat during the Iraq War[101][102][168]
Roslyn L. Schulte2006First Lieutenant; first female academy graduate killed by enemy combatants in War on Terror in Afghanistan; awarded the National Intelligence Medal for Valor[169]
Blake Luttrell2007Captain; member of Air Force Special Tactics Unit, veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, called in AH-60 and B-1 airstrikes, aggressively engaged the enemy, and provided life-saving medical treatment while under heavy, accurate enemy fire; awarded the Silver Star[170]

Other notable Air Force graduates

NameClass yearNotabilityReferences
Nicole Malachowski1996Colonel; first woman to serve as a pilot with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds[171]
Shawna Rochelle Kimbrell1998Major; first African-American woman to serve as a combat pilot[172]
Janet C. Wolfenbarger1980General; as of June 5, 2012, first female in the U.S. Air Force to attain the rank of General
Charles V. Bush1963Officer; first African-American to graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy[173]
Paul K. Carlton, Jr.1969Lieutenant General; Surgeon General of the U.S. Air Force; recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal; son of General Paul K. Carlton[174]
Charles C. Baldwin1969Major General; Chief of Chaplains of the U.S. Air Force; pilot; recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster[163]
Scott A. Hammond1975Major general; commander and chief of staff of the Georgia Air National Guard[175]
Héctor Andrés Negroni1961Colonel, fighter pilot, historian, defense industry executive, first Puerto Rican to graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy
Susan K. Mashiko1980Major General; first female of Japanese descent from any military service to be promoted to Flag/General Officer[176]
Sharon K.G. Dunbar1982Major General; first military member of Korean descent to be promoted to Flag/General Officer; first female to command the Air Force District of Washington and Hill Air Force Base[176]

Space Force figures

Space Force Vice Chiefs of Space Operations

NameClass yearNotabilityReferences
David D. Thompson1985General; Vice Chief of Space Operations (2020–); first USAFA graduate to make general in the Space Force; USAFA astronautics professor (1989–1992); Bachelor of Science in Astronautical Engineering[177]
David D. Thompson

Commanders of Space Force Field Commands

NameClass yearNotabilityReferences
Stephen N. Whiting1989Lieutenant general; commander of Space Operations Command (2020–); first commander of a Space Force field command; Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering[178]
Stephen N. Whiting

Space Force general officers

NameClass yearNotabilityReferences
Nina M. Armagno1988Lieutenant general; Space Force director of staff (2020–); first woman and first USAFA graduate to make lieutenant general in the Space Force; Bachelor of Science in Biology[178][179]
John E. Shaw1990Lieutenant general; deputy commander of U.S. Space Command (2020–); Bachelor of Science in Astronautical Engineering and minor in Russian Language[180]
Nina M. Armagno

Television figures

NameClass yearNotabilityReferences
Keith Monahan1984Chief Meteorologist at KARK-TV in Little Rock, Arkansas; several Television Emmy Awards for storm coverage[181]
Reichen Lehmkuhl1996Winner of the reality game show The Amazing Race 4; model, author, and actor; ex-boyfriend of former 'N Sync member Lance Bass; autobiography Here's What We'll Say details his time in the Academy and as a commissioned officer in the Air Force under the military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy[182]

Non-graduates

As these alumni did not graduate, their class year is listed as "x-" followed by the class year they would have graduated, if known, and they are listed alphabetically by last name.
NameClass yearNotabilityReferences
Brian Billickx–1976Head coach of the NFL Baltimore Ravens (1999–2007)[183]
Harry Chapinx–1964Singer[184]
Larry Colex–1968NFL football player for the Dallas Cowboys (1968–1980); earned two Super Bowl rings[185]
Brian Dubiex–1981Pilot; Lieutenant Governor of Vermont (2003–)[186]
Derio Gambarox–1977Missouri House of Representatives member (1999–2003)[187]
Clarence Gilyardx–1978Actor; associate professor in the College of Fine Arts Department of Theatre at the University of Nevada Las Vegas[188]
Alberto Gonzalesx–1979Attorney General of the United States (2005–2007), professor at Texas Tech University (2009–)[189]
Stevin Hooverx–1971Author[190]
Miles O'Keeffex–1976Television and movie actor[191]
Justin OlsenunknownOlympic gold medalist (2010) and World Champion (2009) in four-man bobsled[192]
Jody Powellx–1965White House press secretary for President Jimmy Carter; expelled from the Academy during his senior year for cheating[193]
Anthony Schlegelx-2003Football player with the NFL's New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals (2006–2007)[194]
Jamil Walkerx–2003Major League Soccer player (2003–2007); 2003 MLS Cup champion[195]
Daniel Wassonx–2006Major League Soccer player[196]

See also

References

External links


39°00′43″N 104°53′22″W / 39.0120°N 104.8894°W / 39.0120; -104.8894 (United States Air Force Academy)

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