Cadet Space Badges
FROM Lt Col Dave Swanson: We have finally gotten the first of the Cadet Space Badges. They really look much better than the active duty Space badges. If we can get these out to our cadets and get them wearing them, we will affect a huge change in the USAFA culture in a positive way towards Space. I am pushing to get our cadets a set before they graduate so the firsties will be wearing them. We have five new SPACE courses (Space Power Applications Capabilities and Employment). These are similar to the airmanship courses offering orientation (SPACE 251), certification (SPACE 350), Instructor Upgrade (SPACE 461) and Leadership credit (SPACE 471 & 472). The badges will be given to cadets who achieve increasingly higher levels of proficiency and responsibility. While we intend to offer the badges in the Cadet store, the AOG could, in the near term, buy the initial badges for the cadets. As a matter of fact, Mr. Gary Payton will be at our FalconSAT final brief at which I’d like to award the first badges. The cartoons below do not do the badges justice but they are good drawings.
FROM the USAFA Space Group: The Space Group has picked up the cost of the first purchase - 43 badges.
FROM Cadet Brandon White '08: Thank you very much sir for all your help through the AOG with our cadet space program. It is all appreciated. Everything I have had the chance to take part in with the space program here over the past year has been awesome. Thank you again sir.