Vol. 50 No. 20 May 21, 2010 Class of ’10 selects Cadet candidates earn diplomas Heiser winners By Ann Patton By Dr. Kevin Davis Academy Spirit staff Department of Management The Preparatory School Class of 2010, Dr. Kenneth Siegenthaler from the 199 strong, said goodbye to 10 months Department of Astronautics and Col. of academic, military and physical Neal Rappaport from the Department of training during commencement exer- Economics and Geosciences won the cises in Arnold Hall Tuesday. Academy’s 2010 Heiser Awards May 6. “It feels amazing,” Cadet Candidate First-class cadets selected the two Michelle Ivey from Stone Mountain, Ga., instructors from more than 160 eligible said of her graduation “It has been a long senior professors based on contributions ten months. But I met a lot of good people, to cadets’ personal and intellectual devel- and it was a good experience.” opment and their demonstration of the Air About 190 of the former Preppies Force core values of integrity first, service will join other Basic Cadets on the Hill before self and excellence in all we do. when Basic Cadet Training begins with Senior cadets in-processing June 24. lauded Dr. Siegenthaler Before the graduates received for placing his students diplomas and Academy appointments, first and imparting life the Prep School recognized top Cadet lessons that transcend Candidate performers in academics, the daunting and athletics, military training and character. complex course mate- Cadet Candidate Christopher rial and added that he Keranen received the honor of overall consistently teaches with a smile. Dr. top graduate. Cadet Candidates Austin Siegenthaler earned a doctorate in laser Halle, Anthony Pyle and Lisa Halbach physics from the Air Force Institute of earned honors for their academic, athletic Technology. His research interests include and military achievements, respectively. lasers, remote sensing and small satel- Col. Thomas Griffith Jr., the Class of lites. 2010 Exemplar, addressed the graduates, Cadets highlighted faculty, family and friends as the keynote Colonel Rappaport’s speaker for the event. A 1975 Prep School passion in challenging graduate and member of the Academy them to excel as well Class of 1979, he is now the director of as inspiring and moti- the National Security Studies Program vating them to become and professor of the Practice of leaders. They also International Affairs at The George praised his example of Washington University. During his Air selfless service: Colonel Rappaport was Force flying assignments, he amassed Photo by J. Rachel Spencer the air attaché in both Kosovo and Cadet Candidate Julianne Germain ascends the “Stairway to Heaven” dur- more than 2,000 hours in the F-4 and F- ing the final phase of Academy Preparatory School training Saturday. Nearly Macedonia and has served numerous 15E aircraft and flew in the initial air 200 cadet candidates graduated from the Prep School in a ceremony operational assignments in Iraq and strikes of Desert Storm before being shot Tuesday, and nearly 190 received appointments to the Air Force Academy Afghanistan. down by a surface-to-air missile. Colonel Class of 2014. Colonel Rappaport earned a Griffith was captured two days later and Jesse Prine, an Army brat from Fort Irwin, house.” He was selected as a flight doctorate in economics from the imprisoned in Baghdad, where he suffered Calif., plans to spend time with family and commander shortly after arriving at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. beatings and starvation until his release relax before Basic Cadet Training. He Prep School, a position that gave him His research efforts have ranged from after the war. has his eye on a career as a pilot and leadership experience. economic development in Baghdad to “Adversity will affect you no matter appreciates the jumpstart the Prep School “I asked ‘Why me?’ But I took it as a work on the destabilizing impact of food what you do,” he said, advising the class gave him, even though it required an compliment,” he said. shortages in North Korea. His analytical not to try and avoid it but learn to deal extra year of school. Retiring Prep School Commander skills were recognized by the Central with it. Cadet Candidate Ivey agreed the Col. Todd Zachary said this year’s class Intelligence Agency director with the Even when he was in solitary confine- extra year helped her. has proved itself outstanding, calling it award of the National Intelligence ment, Colonel Griffith said he felt the “(My first year) would have been a spirited and a tightly knit group. Colonel Certificate of Distinction. presence of teamwork he had learned to lot harder,” she said. “It was very well Zachary retired Wednesday and said he The Heiser Award, named after rely on in the Air Force. worth it.” is exploring an additional career in higher Professor Emeritus Dr. William H. Heiser, “You are not going to do it alone,” he Cadet Candidate Roed Majia served education. is the only award selected by the gradu- said of the new experiences awaiting the as an enlisted Airman before entering “It’s fun to see cadet candidates grow ating class. Dr. Heiser was recently elected members of the Academy’s Class of 2014. the Prep School. and mature,” he said. “They come in here as a 2010 honorary fellow for the “Rely on that team.” He further advised “I think everyone should go the Prep with wide eyes and not knowing anything. American Institute of Aeronautics and the graduates to always do their best, School first,” he said. His training as an Over the 10 months it’s neat to see them Astronautics alongside former Secretary even when it is difficult to measure. Airman and at the Prep School helps, make their dream possible. I will really, of the Air Force Dr. Sheila Widnall. After graduation, Cadet Candidate “especially with the military side of the really miss them.” WEEKEND WEATHER Ceremony honors ’06 grad Lives hinge on seatbelts Preppies roll out FRIDAY 75 44 A memorial ceremony held in Kabul A member of the Academy’s Department of for exercise MOSTLY SUNNY/BREEZY Thursday honors 1st Lt. Roslyn Schulte. Personnel recalls a tragic — and preventable SATURDAY Cadet candidates undergo their final training Page 3 — tale. 79 43 exercise in Jacks Valley May 12 through MOSTLY SUNNY/BREEZY Page 8 Saturday. SUNDAY 74 44 Pages 12-13 MOSTLY SUNNY 2 May 21, 2010 Use common sense with social media To responsibly inform and educate the By Master Sgt. Keith Houin from the early days of government Internet social networking atmosphere Academy community and the public U.S. Air Forces in Europe Public Affairs commercial Internet use. In the earliest as well. Simply think of all the annual about the Air Force Academy days of the Internet, forums and briefings you get about operations secu- Lt. Gen. Mike Gould — Academy Superintendent RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany bulletin boards were popular ways of rity, political activity, privacy act and Capt. Corinna Jones — (AFNS) — Social networking sites are sharing information, but they took time other topics. Ask, “Is this allowed in Deputy Director of Public Affairs open to Air Force servicemembers and to connect, download and upload. Use other forms of communication?” If you 2nd Lt. Meredith Kirchoff — Chief of Internal Information employees in the workplace. This was limited to people who understood aren’t sure, it’s a good bet you should [email protected] change to policy has raised many ques- computers. get additional guidance before posting Staff Sgt. Don Branum — tions about using social media officially Today’s social networking arguably to a social networking site. NCOIC of Internal Information [email protected] and personally in the workplace. has become the fastest way to dissemi- We’re proud of our profession and Butch Wehry — Senior Staff Writer When you get right down to it, nate and share a variety of information. want everyone to know that we’re part [email protected] however, little has changed. The rules The exchange of information is nearly of the Air Force, but putting your rank Ann Patton — Staff Writer [email protected] established for Internet use at work are instantaneous. Its accessibility and and your name in your profile on a Denise Navoy — Graphic Designer no different than before Air Force offi- speed allows us to fire and forget social networking site has some unin- The Academy Spirit is published by Colorado cials opened access to social media without much thought as to what we tended implications. Springs Military Newspaper Group, a private firm in sites. no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under say or do. A Facebook page with the user exclusive written contract with the U.S. Air Force The guidance provided in a recently From a personal standpoint, you name “Chief Master Sgt. J. Suchnsuch” Academy. This civilian enterprise Air Force newspa- per is an authorized publication for members of the updated Air Force Guidance may say something that upsets someone is likely to be viewed as an official site. U.S. military services. Contents of the Academy Spirit Memorandum, “Responsible and or post personal information you may The same page with the username of “J. are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government, the Department of Defense Effective Use of Internet Based not have really wanted to share. From a Suchnsuch,” and profile information or the Department of the Air Force. Capabilities,” is just as true for visiting professional and official standpoint, this that includes rank and position is much The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute commercial websites for personal use can cause problems for people far less likely to be viewed by the public as endorsement by the Department of Defense, the on government computers as for using removed from the initial post.