<p>According to the Academic Calendar on the USAFA website, next week is “summer prep week…” What will that look like for my freshman son? I am just wondering if that might be a good time to visit him, even though he can’t leave the academy…I have asked him, and he is not sure. He’s a little busy right now with finals…
Any cadets—or others—that might be able to answer?</p>
<p>We visited our son last year at the end of Spring Semester fianls week. It was a great time to see him--we were able to pick him up after his last final on Friday afternoon. He was able to get a pass for the weekend, we spent the time playing golf and just enjoying our very happy young man. We are going out again this year, a bit later in the week to attend his Blue Suit Ceremony as he becomes an official member of the Wings of BLue parachute team.</p>
<p>usafa mom,
Could you tell us more about the parachute team? How did your son make it on the team?</p>
<p>He took the Jump 490 course last summer. They held try-outs at the begining of the academic year last August. He was fortunate to be selected as one of 25 members of the Wings of Green (the training team) (about 250 cadets tried out)-- they spent all of this past year in training and learning to become jump masters. Being on the team is a huge commitment. They spend every Saturday morning at the air field either jumping or with ground training. Additionally, they are required to spend Spring Break at Gila Bend AZ, training. We were fortunate to be able to visit them while they were in Gila Bend and watch some of the training. It was very impressive!</p>
<p>He called us last week to tell us that he passed all of the requirements and will become a member of the Wings of Blue next week. </p>
<p>The team consists of two teams, the competition team and the demonstration team. Members of the demonstartion team are the ones who jump into the stadium prior to the fotball games. My son is hoping to be on that team. In order to be allowed to jump into a stadium they have to have completed at leat 250 jumps and have a certain rating. </p>
<p>The members of the Wings of Blue are the Cadet instructors for the intrductory class, which is what my son will be doing this summer.</p>