Always Write -- 2012: USAFA Flying Team Wings Ceremony

Yesterday afternoon, I snuck out of an after-school meeting just a few minutes early so I could head up to the Air Force Academy. There was an event I didn't want to miss! Dan's Flying Team had their Wings Ceremony last night, and I wanted to be there to see him find out his call sign, the name he will go by while flying. All of the three degrees found out their names last night. Everyone else on the team know everyone's but their own, so it was pretty humorous.

I had a wonderful time at the ceremony and at the "bar" afterward. There is a small bar area inside the flying squadron at the airfield on base, so there were a couple kegs and a catered meal (appetizers and whatnot. After the ceremony, Dan (along with all of the other three degree cadets) had to eat two of the spiciest, hottest buffalo wings to be "initiated" in... and we all know Dan SUCKS with heat, so it was really amusing to watch. Look for the pictures at the end of this post.

After everything on base, we headed to Dan's Flying Team Captain's house (not team captain... Air Force Captain)... for an AFTER party that was quite fun. They took the unfinished kegs over there for the 21+ crowd, and it was a lot of fun hanging out, playing Wii, and playing with his kids. We stayed for quite a while but were still home before 12:30... so much for college parties! haha!

Anyway, Dan's call sign is.......... Tracy. Yes, it sounds boring and weird, but there were three guys named Dan on the team last year when Dan made it in, so they decided to call him "Dick" instead, since his real first name is Richard. During voting on names, however, they decided they couldn't really make "Dick" be his call sign because that is what he expected it to be... so they went with Tracy... as in Dick Tracy. Weird, I know, but it's kind of humorous.

Alrighty, here are the pictures I promised.