Blast From the Past: USAFA Recognition, Class of 2014

In March of 2011, Dan was just a measly fourth class cadet at the United States Air Force Academy. Late in the month, however, he was Recognized, or accepted into the Cadet Wing as an upperclassman, having survived what he then thought was the toughest part of the Academy. (Sadly,  he has since been mistaken, two degree year taking the cake for hard-ness).

Normally, Recognition is something people can't just watch, but Ellie, Emily, and I had other plans. You see, Emily's fiancé Stephen is also class of 2014, so he was being Recognized at the same time as Dan. Ellie's husband was class of 2011, so he was helping run the entire thing. We kind of snuck to the Cathedral Rock past the "Do Not Enter" signs (oops) and hid in the trees to watch the guys. It was a lot of fun... until the end when we were ratted out by a cadet who almost went to the bathroom on us. We took off running up a gigantic hill and made it away safely, though, heading to Wendy's in our camouflage and all.

Recognition was such an amazing time for the cadets, though. They gained a lot of privileges and freedoms, and I'm so proud of Dan and all of his buddies for making it through! It's basically a three day hell, where cadets hardly get to sleep or eat because they are constantly training physically and mentally. Many push-ups later, one becomes Recognized... and then promptly eats a steak and passes out. ;)

And now for the pictures of our shenanigans:

my shirt...

Ellie's shirt...

Emily's shirt...

hehehe

Dan's eating his Recognition dinner...

He's so tired he's sleepwalking... eek! 

That day was a fun, exciting adrenaline rush kind of day. I wish Ellie were still here so we could all hang out and do stupid/silly things like this!