MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala -- The first all-Space Force flight from Officer Training School graduated March 10, 2023.
The 15 guardians who comprised Lima “Lasers” Flight completed the eight-week training course to commission as second lieutenants and will go on to lead in the newly created service.
During training, the flight excelled, winning the Commandant’s Cup, which is presented to the team who best demonstrates courage, resiliency, and hardiness of spirit by leading the way in a series of demanding physical and mental team challenges.
“When I was assigned the Space Force flight, I wasn’t sure what to expect,” said Maj. Kaleigh Sides, flight commander of Lima Flight. “But I couldn’t be prouder of how they came together. Instead of 15 individuals, they were one team.”
The flight is a model for the future of how OTS plans to continue training and developing new Space Force officers.
“We’ve graduated Guardians from OTS before, but this is the first time we’ve had the numbers to create a dedicated standalone USSF flight,” said Col. Keolani Bailey, OTS commandant. “In the future, we’ll continue to group them as much as possible to align their training with foundational Space Force imperatives as we build warrior-minded leaders of character for our total force team.”
He also mentioned the impact that these new leaders will have on their new service.
“These officers are the pioneers of a new era in space operations, and their achievements will inspire future generations of Guardians with character, connection, commitment, and courage.” said Bailey.
As the United States continues to expand its space capabilities, it is essential to have a highly trained and skilled force that can operate in this challenging environment. The officers who graduated from Officer Training School are now ready to make their mark on history and lead the way in this new era of space exploration and national security.
The graduated Space Force officers are:
Robert Bartkowiak
Alec Buchanan
Joseph Cheung
Jeremy Colon
Jacob Gagnon
Emily George
Karolyn Meno
Max Schrieber
Anthony Phan
Harmanjeet Gidda
Raul Rodriguez
Evan Van Horn
Cameron Kopec
Jennifer Leo
Christopher Terrell