FORMING THE LONG BLUE LINE THE GRADUATES BY STEVE SIMON ’77 An educational institution is only as good as its product. The Distinguished Graduate Award was first conferred in Bricks and mortar, books and buildings, staff and faculty can 2002 and is usually presented to two graduates each year. It exert great influence on a school’s reputation, but the final is a unique honor bestowed by the U.S. Air Force Acad- measure of a university’s worth is how well its students per- emy and its Association of Graduates, recognizing those form after graduation. In this dimension, the United States graduates whose accomplishments are inspirational and Air Force Academy earns top marks. elevate the reputation and the standing of the U.S. Air Force Academy. Thirty of the Academy’s most illustrious Approximately 49,000 men and women have completed graduates have been so honored. Most recently, Gen. the Academy’s grueling four-year course of instruction and (Ret.) Gregory S. Martin ’70 and Mr. Paul Madera ’78 gone on to serve the United States. Individually and as a received the award at the 62nd anniversary Founders Day group, graduates make a compelling argument for the Dinner in April 2016. national value of the Academy. The Academy was chartered first and foremost to produce active duty military leaders Gen. Robert Oaks, 2002 Distin- for service on and off the battlefield. In this regard, the guished Graduate Award winner, Academy has succeeded magnificently, but grads also is another celebrated ’59er. He have made their marks in civilian service, space, sports, culminated his Air Force career and almost every other aspect of American society. At the as commander in chief of U.S. unavoidable risk of missing deserving individuals, this article Air Forces in Europe and served highlights some of our most noteworthy graduates. as commander, Allied Forces Central Europe. Any discussion of this topic must start at the beginning. The first group of Academy graduates, the esteemed Gen. Hansford Johnson ’59 was Class of 1959, set a phenomenal standard for later the first Academy graduate promoted to four-star general classes to emulate. (Harold Todd, his classmate, was the first grad to make brigadier and major general.). Gen. Johnson flew 423 Lt. Gen. Bradley Hosmer was combat missions during the Vietnam War, and later served number one in graduation order as commander in chief of the United States Transportation of merit and was the first Acad- Command and the Air Force’s Military Airlift Command. emy graduate to earn a Rhodes Scholarship. (Thirty-eight cadets Other members of the Class of ’59 have excelled as well. Col. have been so honored, most Karol Bobko was the first graduate to enter the space pro- recently Rebecca Esselstein ’15). gram. He commanded the Space Shuttle Discovery in April Gen. Hosmer’s accomplishments 1985 and is the only astronaut to have flown on the maiden did not end at Oxford, as three voyage of two Space Shuttle orbiters. Gen. Michael Carns decades later he earned the dis- served as Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, and Lt. Gen. Robert tinction of being the first graduate Beckel, the only person to serve as Cadet Wing Commander superintendent. To acknowledge his stellar service, he was twice, was the first graduate to assume a senior leadership awarded the 2003 Distinguished Graduate Award. position at the Academy (Commandant of Cadets) in 1981. About the AOG 21 2001 Gen. Ronald Fogleman ‘63 Following classes have upheld the standard of excellence set Mr. Harry J. Pearce ‘64 by the Class of ‘59. The Air Force has benefited greatly from 2002 the superior leadership provided by Academy graduates. Dr. Paul G. Kaminski ‘64 Class of ’63 graduate Gen. Ronald Fogleman was the first Gen. Robert C. Oaks ‘59 Academy graduate to serve as Air Force Chief of Staff. After flying 315 combat missions, he rose to be com- 2003 mander in chief of the U.S. Transportation Command Lt. Gen. Bradley C. Hosmer ‘59 before being tapped as Chief of Staff. He was the first Mr. Richard T. Schlosberg ‘65 military recipient of the Distinguished Graduate Award. 2004 Another of Gen. Fogleman’s many distinctions is Col. Frederick Gregory ‘64 that he was the first Academy graduate to deliver USAFA’s commencement Gen. Ronald W. Yates ‘60 address, which he did in 1996. 2005 Gen. H.T. Johnson ‘59 Four other Academy graduates have served as Chief of Staff: Gen. Michael Gen. Michael E. Ryan ‘65 Ryan ’65; Gen. Norton Schwartz ’73; Gen. Mark Welsh III ’76; and current Chief, Gen. David L. Goldfein ’83. 2006 Lt. Gen. Robert D. Beckel ‘59 In 1983, the Academy welcomed its first Academy graduate Dean of the Maj. Gen. Edward J. Mechenbier ‘64 Faculty in the person of Brig. Gen. Ervin Rokke ’62. Rokke also had been 2007 the first Air Force Academy graduate to be appointed a permanent Lt. Gen. Ervin Rokke ‘62 professor. Mr. Gregg Popovich ‘70 In the past 12 years, female Academy graduates have taken their 2008 place in the General. Officer ranks as leaders of character. In 2004, Maj. Gen. Donald Shepperd ‘62 Janet Therianos, a member of the Academy’s first class with Mr. John Martinson ‘70 women, the Class of ’80, was nominated for promotion to the 2009 grade of brigadier general, making her the first female Air Force Gen. John Michael Loh ‘60 Academy graduate selected for promotion to flag officer rank. Honorable Heather A. Wilson ‘82 Also in 2004, Brig. Gen. Dana Born ’83 became the first female Air Force Academy graduate to serve as Dean of the Faculty. A 2010 year later, Brig. Gen. Susan Desjardins ’80, joined the Academy Mr. Max F. James ‘64 leadership team as the first female Air Force Academy grad- Gen. Ralph E.Eberhart ‘68 uate to take on the role of Commandant of Cadets. Finally, 2011 in August 2013, Lt. Gen. Michelle Johnson ’81, completed Brig. Gen. Ruben A. Cubero ‘61 the USAFA leadership trifecta, taking over as the first Mr. Richard D. McConn ‘66 female Academy graduate to serve as Air Force Academy superintendent. 2012 Lt. Gen. Marcus A. Anderson ‘61 Gen. Janet Wolfenbarger Mr. Edward E. Legasey ‘67 ’80 also holds a very distinct 2013 position in Air Force and Air Mr. A. Bart Holaday ‘65 Force Academy history. On DISTINGUISHED Gen. William R. Looney III ‘72 June 5, 2012, she became the Air Force and the Air GRADUATE 2014 Dr. Thomas J. Eller ’61 Force Academy’s first female AWARD RECIPIENTS Gen. Kevin P. Chilton ’76 four-star general, as she assumed command of Air Force Material Command. 2015 Gregory S. Martin ’70 Mr. Paul S. Madera ’78 Approximately 655 Academy graduates have earned general Two graduates, Leroy Homer ’87 and Charles Jones ’74 stars. This list is long and distinguished, and is certain to grow were killed in the September 11, 2001, attack. The ensuing much larger as Academy graduates continue to excel. struggle has taken the lives of several Academy graduates, most recently Maj. Adrianna Vonderbruggen ’02 who died The Vietnam War provided ample opportunity for graduates during an insurgent attack in Afghanistan on Dec. 21, 2015. to demonstrate the discipline and heroism forged during 1st Lt. Roslyn Schulte ’06 became the first female graduate their Academy matriculation. Thousands served honorably killed in action, also the result of an IED in Afghanistan. in the war, including more than 150 who died there and 33 who suffered as prisoners of war. Each has a compelling Fortunately, not all the heroism story, but space constraints preclude telling all but a few. resulted in the loss of life. In 2003, Capt. Kim N. Campbell Capt. Lance Sijan ’65 is the most ’97 recovered her damaged famous of the Academy war heroes. A-10 after it was struck by a On Nov. 9, 1967, he was forced surface-to-air missile. Despite to eject behind enemy lines after losing hydraulics and sustaining his F-4 fighter jet was disabled heavy damage and the partial and his crewmember was killed. loss of her aircraft’s tail during a Despite a skull fracture, a broken close air support mission over hand and a compound fracture of Baghdad, she was able to land his left leg, he managed to evade safely in Kuwait. She received capture for 45 days after rescue the Distinguished Flying Cross efforts were unsuccessful. Shortly after his capture, despite for the mission. his greatly weakened condition, he overpowered his guard and escaped again, albeit briefly. In captivity, he endured It is not necessary for graduates to remain in uniform to horrific treatment and brutal torture, never losing his resolve serve their country, as the following examples demon- to escape and return to the fight. On Jan. 22, 1968, he died strate. The previously mentioned H. T. Johnson ’59 has from his injuries and mistreatment. Upon his own eventual served as assistant secretary of the Navy (Installations release in 1973, cellmate Guy Gruters ’64, told Sijan’s story. and Logistics), as well as acting secretary of the Navy. Dr. Sijan’s conduct merited the Medal of Honor, which President Paul Kaminski ’64 served as under secretary of Defense Gerald Ford presented to Sijan’s parents on March 4, 1976. for Acquisition and Technology from 1994-1997. T. Allan In May of that year, the Air Force Academy honored Sijan, McArtor, also Class of ‘64, served as administrator of the only Academy graduate to earn the Medal of Honor, by the Federal Aviation Administration, and is currently naming the newer of its two dormitories after him.