Here’s to UPT class 16-04!!

 

We had been waiting for this weekend for a long time, and finally it was here-GRADUATION!!! Conor has worked so incredibly hard over the last year and we were so excited to finally be able to celebrate with his family and class.

The weekend started off on a Wednesday when his parents arrived in Oklahoma City. I had driven to go pick them up and bring them back to good old Enid, America! We spent the rest of that day giving them a tour around the Base and some of Enid’s high points.

Thursday was the first day of real graduation events. We all met early for a Meet and Greet breakfast in the Flight room. It was a chance for families to all get together and meet, all while talking about the achievements and hard work of the students.

Conor’s Flight Commander took some time to show us videos as well as talk about what all the students had spent the last year doing. It was nice to get another insight into the hard work they’ve been putting in as well as hearing some of their jokes throughout the last 13 months. It was really an insight into the friendships they’ve all made.

The rest of the day was spent touring the Flight Line as well as looking at the T-6 (the first plane Conor flew), the T-1 (The second plane Conor flew), as well as the T-38 (Plane for the fighter/bomber track).

 

 

We were also lucky enough to get to test out the T-1 simulator. I still get way too dizzy to really enjoy it, but Conor’s family had a blast!

 

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The next day was graduation day! The ceremony was held in the morning at the base auditorium. There were a few key speakers who spoke to the group, and then awards were handed out. Conor received the Academic Award! We were so incredibly proud to see him go up on stage to receive it. He worked so hard this year, he truly deserved to be recognized.

 

After all of the awards were handed out, each student went up one at a time to receive their first pair of pilot wings.

 

After the ceremony each family was able to go their own way to pin on the wings to their new pilot. Conor had asked me to pin on his wings and I was honored to.

 

Later in the evening was a formal dinner reception. It was so great to get dressed up and see everyone looking their best. 

The reception was beautiful and just a really nice event for everyone to be together in the same room for one last time.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last few years it’s that the Air Force is all about tradition. One of my favorite traditions by far is the Breaking of the Wings. The tradition is as follows:

Since man started flying, he has taken to the air a certain amount of risk. To counter that risk, a tradition was established years ago when the Army Air Corps first started issuing pilot wings to their young aviators. This tradition is called

Breaking of the Wings

At every UPT graduation, the Air Force issues the pilots their pair of wings. As tradition has it, the pilot should never wear that first pair of wings. To bring good luck, the pilot should break the wing into two parts. The pilot should keep one half, the other half should be given to the pilot’s best friend or relative. To preserve good luck, the halves should never be brought together while the pilot is alive. After death the two halves are once again united with the pilot for good luck in the next life.

The rest of the night was spent celebrating at the club as a group one last time

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The entire weekend was such a wonderful celebration of Conor’s hard work and dedication. I am so incredibly proud of him. I truly do consider myself so lucky to spend my life with someone who has such loyalty and commitment to me, his family, his friends, and his country.

Here’s to closing one chapter of this wild adventure and on to the next!