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Draft:Wright Brothers busts

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''This article was started from a graduate's recollection. Location, sculptor, dates, and photographs need to be added by contributors. New to USAFAPedia? See [[USAFAPedia:How to contribute|how to contribute]].''

Bronze busts of '''[[Wright Brothers|Orville and Wilbur Wright]]''' on the campus of the [[United States Air Force Academy]] are the focus of a small but enduring cadet tradition: cadets polish the brothers' bronze noses, an act called '''"brown-nosing"''' in keeping with the cadet humor tradition of finding double meaning in any opportunity.{{cn}}

== The busts ==

''To be added: location of the busts on campus, sculptor, year installed, dimensions, the official dedication context.''

== The brown-nosing tradition ==

The polishing of the noses is a long-standing informal cadet practice. The pun on "brown-nosing" — military slang for ingratiating behavior toward a superior — gives the act its enduring appeal: a cadet polishing the bust's nose is, in a sense, "brown-nosing" the founders of powered flight, while also producing a visible bronze shine that distinguishes the noses from the rest of the patina-darkened busts.

''Has the bust ever been refinished or restored? Have specific class years or squadrons made a tradition of polishing the noses on a particular occasion? Photos welcome.''

== See also ==

* [[Wright Brothers]]
* [[Spirit missions]]
* [[USAFA campus statuary]]
* [[Cadet humor]]

== References ==

<references />

[[Category:USAFA campus]]
[[Category:USAFA traditions]]
[[Category:Cadet humor]]

Draft:USAFA mascot heists

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''This article was started from graduate recollections and needs verification, expansion, and additional firsthand accounts. Heists in either direction (USAFA stealing Army or Navy mascots, and the reverse) are within scope. New to USAFAPedia? See [[USAFAPedia:How to contribute|how to contribute]].''

'''Mascot heists''' between the [[United States Air Force Academy]] and the other federal service academies — the [[United States Military Academy]] (Army) and the [[United States Naval Academy]] (Navy) — are a recurring tradition tied to the annual rivalry games and the broader inter-academy rivalry. Cadets and midshipmen at each academy have, on numerous occasions, attempted (sometimes successfully) to abduct the live mascots of the other academies in the days leading up to a major football game.

The tradition is unsanctioned but well-known to the academies' administrations, who treat individual incidents with varying degrees of severity depending on circumstances.

== The mascots ==

The three principal mascots involved in mascot heist incidents are:

* '''[[Bill the Goat]]''' — the live goat mascot of the [[United States Naval Academy|Naval Academy]]. Bill is the most-frequently-targeted mascot in inter-academy heists.
* '''[[Army mules]]''' — the live mules of the [[United States Military Academy|Military Academy]]. Each year a series of mules is presented as the official Army mascot.
* '''[[Air Force falcons]]''' — the falcons trained and presented by the [[Cadet Falconry Team]] at USAFA.

Each animal lives under the care of cadets/midshipmen during the academic year, which both creates the opportunity for heist and means that any heist must contend with cadet caretakers as well as institutional security.

== Notable heists ==

''This section needs to be filled in from contemporary news coverage and graduate memories. Each heist should include: year, originating academy, target, method, success or failure, administrative response, and aftermath.''

* ''(add details of specific heists you participated in or remember)''

== USAFA-led heists ==

''When USAFA cadets have stolen Bill the Goat, an Army mule, or other rivalry mascots — please document the year, squadron, method, and outcome.''

== Heists against USAFA ==

''When Army or Navy have stolen a USAFA falcon or other USAFA symbol — please document.''

== Administrative responses ==

The academies' administrations have generally treated mascot heists with restraint, recognizing them as an established tradition that contributes to inter-academy rivalry. Returns are typically negotiated; serious damage or animal harm has been treated more severely.

''Specific instances where heists led to formal administrative consequences should be documented here. Press coverage from the time often discusses the resolutions.''

== Stories from participants ==

''If you were involved in a mascot heist — as a participant, a target, or a caretaker who recovered an abducted mascot — please share what happened. Sign with your class year and academy if other than USAFA.''

''This section awaits contributions.''

== See also ==

* [[Spirit missions]]
* [[Cadet Falconry Team]]
* [[Air Force-Navy rivalry]]
* [[Air Force-Army rivalry]]
* [[Commander-in-Chief's Trophy]]
* [[Bill the Goat]]

== References ==

<references />

[[Category:USAFA traditions]]
[[Category:Inter-academy rivalry]]
[[Category:Cadet humor]]

Draft:USAFA cheers and chants

USAFApediaBot — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:17:22 GMT

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''This article captures cadet cheers, chants, yells, and slogans heard at games, parades, and around the cadet wing. These pieces of collective voice are rarely written down and are easily lost between generations. If you remember a chant from your era — even one you only heard once — please add it. Sign with your class year. New to USAFAPedia? See [[USAFAPedia:How to contribute|how to contribute]].''

The [[United States Air Force Academy]] cadet wing has a long tradition of expressing collective identity through cheers, chants, and yells — at football games, parades, formations, and informal moments. Many of these chants have been passed orally from class to class; others were the signature of a single class year and disappeared with that class's graduation. This article is a working archive of those chants.

Chants on this page are presented as historical record. Some reflect attitudes of their era that would not be repeated today; they are documented honestly for that reason, with context where appropriate.

== Football chants ==

=== "Up the middle, up the middle, pass, punt" ===

A sustained chant from the cadet section during the later years of [[Ben Martin]]'s tenure as head coach, mocking the perceived predictability of the Falcon offensive playbook. The chant tracked the perceived sequence of every drive: two running plays through the middle, a pass attempt, a punt.{{cn}}

=== "Give 'em hell, Ben" ===

A chant for Coach [[Ben Martin]] that began as encouragement and ended as resigned humor:

:''Give 'em hell, Ben — give 'em hell, Ben — oh hell, give 'em, Ben''{{cn}}

== Class yells ==

Each entering class historically adopts a class yell — a short chant the class shouts at events, often capturing the class number and a phrase, slogan, or in-joke. Some yells are official; many are unofficial. Add your class's yell here.

* '''[[Class of 1969]]''' — unofficially "Recline and Dine"{{cn}} — context to be added by class members
* '''[[Class of 1979]]''' — "79 Mighty Fine"{{cn}} (official); "LCWB" or "Last Class With Balls" (unofficial){{cn}}; the LCWB designation referenced 1979 being the last all-male class before the [[Class of 1980]] became the first to enter with women cadets
* '''[[Class of 2009]]''' — "Hold the Line" or similar{{cn}} — exact text and context to be added by class members
* ''(add your class's yell)''

== Parade and formation chants ==

''Chants used during marching, formations, drill periods. To be filled in by contributors.''

== Spirit-mission and rivalry chants ==

''Chants associated with rivalry weeks, [[USAFA mascot heists|mascot heists]], and spirit events.''

== Contextual notes ==

Some chants documented here used language or referenced things that would not be appropriate today. They are recorded honestly because they are historical fact, but with the context that would help a reader understand both why they existed and why they have not been carried forward. Edits that add context are welcome; edits that remove the historical record are not.

The "LCWB" designation associated with the [[Class of 1979]] is one example. The Class of 1979 was the last all-male graduating class at USAFA, and the abbreviation circulated as an unofficial class identifier in the period immediately before and after [[1976 admission of women|women were first admitted]]. Documenting this is part of recording the institution's actual transition to coeducation; the class identifier is not endorsed as appropriate today.

== Stories about specific chants ==

''If you remember the moment a chant was first shouted, the cadet who wrote it, or the game where it became famous, please add what you know.''

''This section awaits contributions.''

== See also ==

* [[Ben Martin]]
* [[Class of 1979]]
* [[Class identity at USAFA]]
* [[Falcons football]]
* [[1976 admission of women]]

== References ==

<references />

[[Category:USAFA traditions]]
[[Category:Cadet life]]
[[Category:Cadet humor]]

Draft:USAFAPedia How to contribute

USAFApediaBot — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:17:22 GMT

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''This is the contributor's guide for USAFAPedia. It explains how to add to existing articles, create your own graduate page, start a new article, and find the templates you'll want. New here? Read this once and you're set.''

= Welcome =

USAFAPedia is a wiki for capturing the institutional history, traditions, and personal stories of the [[United States Air Force Academy]] — the things that don't quite fit on usafa.edu, the AOG site, or Wikipedia. The official sources cover the institutional surface; this wiki is for the texture, the stories, and the arcane history that lives in graduates' memories.

If you're a grad, your participation is the entire point. Add to existing articles. Create your own page. Tell the stories nobody else has captured.

= How to start: get an account =

You need a (free) account to edit. To create one, click '''Create account''' at the top right of any page. We don't currently restrict accounts to graduates only, but we ask in good faith that you identify yourself accurately when contributing.

Once you have an account and are logged in, you can edit any article, create new articles, and upload photos.

= Three things you can do =

== 1. Add to an existing article ==

Most articles on USAFAPedia have a section called '''Stories from cadets''', '''Stories from this era''', '''Memories''', or similar. These sections exist specifically for firsthand accounts.

To add a story:

# Find the article that fits — your squadron, your class year, your club, the tradition you remember
# Click '''Edit''' at the top
# Scroll to the appropriate section
# Add your story below the existing text. End with your name and class year, like: ''— John Smith, Class of 1985, CS-21''
# Click '''Save'''

Don't worry about wiki formatting at first. Plain text works. Bullet points are fine. Half-finished thoughts are fine — someone else will help format later.

== 2. Create your own graduate page ==

Every grad is welcome to have their own page. To create one:

# Click '''Special:CreatePage''' (or just visit a URL like ''http://usafapedia.coslabs.com/wiki/John Smith'' — replace "John Smith" with your name)
# MediaWiki will say the page doesn't exist and offer to let you create it
# Copy the template below into the new page
# Fill in the blanks — leave fields blank if you don't want to share them
# Save

=== Graduate page template ===

Copy this into your new page and fill in what applies. Remove fields you don't want to share. Add or remove sections as appropriate to your story.

<pre>
{{Graduate
| full_name=
| class_year=
| squadrons=
| clubs_and_teams=
| major=
| hometown=
| commission_branch=
| career_summary=
| current_status=
}}

== Early life ==
Where you grew up, family, what brought you to USAFA.

== USAFA years ==
Your time as a cadet. Squadron experiences, classes, training, friends,
the things you remember most.

== Career ==
Post-USAFA. Active duty, civilian career, family.

== Stories ==
Specific stories you want to tell — funny ones, hard ones, the ones
you'd tell at a reunion.

== See also ==
* [[Class of YOUR_CLASS_YEAR]]
* [[Cadet Squadron NUMBER]]
* (clubs you were in)

[[Category:Graduates]]
[[Category:Class of YOUR_CLASS_YEAR]]
</pre>

Don't worry about getting it perfect. Once it's saved, you can edit it any time. Other grads can also add to it (with comments and links), and you can edit anything they add. The page is "yours" but the wiki is collective.

== 3. Start a new article ==

If you remember something that doesn't have a page yet — a tradition, an event, a club, a person, a piece of equipment — you can start the article.

Look for '''red links''' on existing articles. A red link is a wikilink to a page that doesn't exist yet. Clicking it offers to let you create the page. The wiki has thousands of red links waiting to be filled in.

To start a new article:

# Either click a red link or visit ''http://usafapedia.coslabs.com/wiki/Title_Of_Your_Article''
# MediaWiki offers to create the page
# Write what you remember
# Add a short opening paragraph, then any sections that apply
# Sign with your name and class year if it's a story-based article
# Add categories at the bottom (like <code><nowiki>[[Category:USAFA traditions]]</nowiki></code>)
# Save

A short article is better than no article. Other grads will add to it.

= Templates you'll want to know =

== {{tl|Graduate}} ==

For your own bio page. Renders a clean infobox at the top. See above.

== {{tl|Class data}} ==

For class articles (like [[Class of 1979]]). Stores the class motto, yell, exemplar, and key dates in a structured way.

== {{tl|Squadron data}} ==

For squadron articles (like [[Cadet Squadron 21]]). Stores squadron number, current name, mascot, and history.

== {{tl|Club}} ==

For club and team articles.

== {{tl|cn}} ==

If you're writing something you remember but don't have a source for, add <code><nowiki>{{cn}}</nowiki></code> after the sentence. It marks the statement as needing a citation. Future contributors with sources can add them. Don't omit memories just because you can't cite them — mark them as memories and move on.

= Wiki conventions =

== Signing your contributions ==

When you add a story or memory, sign it. Two ways:

* Type your name and class year in plain text: ''— John Smith, Class of 1985, CS-21''
* Use four tildes: <code><nowiki>~~~~</nowiki></code> — MediaWiki will replace this with your username and timestamp

Both work. Plain-text class-year signing is preferred for stories because it makes the page readable to non-wiki-natives.

== Wikilinks ==

Wrap any name or topic that might deserve its own article in <code><nowiki>[[double brackets]]</nowiki></code>. The link will be blue if the page exists, red if it doesn't. Red links are good — they invite creation.

If you mention a fellow graduate by name in a story, wikilink them: <code><nowiki>[[Jane Doe]]</nowiki></code>. If Jane Doe ever creates her own page, your wikilink connects to it automatically.

== Categories ==

At the bottom of any article, add categories like <code><nowiki>[[Category:USAFA traditions]]</nowiki></code> or <code><nowiki>[[Category:Class of 1985]]</nowiki></code>. Categories help others find related articles.

= What belongs on this wiki, and what doesn't =

'''Welcome:'''

* Personal stories from your time as a cadet
* Squadron and class history as you remember it
* Traditions, cheers, slang from your era
* Photos you took or own
* Profiles of grads (yours, classmates', friends')
* Names and details that aren't classified
* Honest accounts of difficult moments — scandals, accidents, controversies — handled with care

'''Not welcome:'''

* Classified or sensitive operational information
* Personal attacks or grudges aimed at specific living people
* Salacious unverified rumors about specific living people
* Active commercial promotion
* Content unrelated to USAFA

'''Use judgment:'''

* Stories about classmates by name — generally fine if respectful, but be sensitive about embarrassing details
* Stories involving disciplinary action of identifiable cadets — better to write about the policy/era than to name names unless you have permission
* Stories about real events that haven't been publicly discussed — use your judgment about whether documenting helps or harms

When in doubt, write the story but use less identifying detail. The story matters more than the names.

= If you make a mistake =

You can't really break anything. Every edit is reversible. The wiki keeps full history of every page. If you accidentally save a page in a weird state, just edit again and fix it. If you delete something you shouldn't have, click '''History''' on the page and restore the previous version.

If something serious goes wrong, contact an administrator (currently {{tl|admin}} — or send a message to the email listed on [[USAFAPedia:Contact]]).

= Help and questions =

* Read other people's pages to see how they did things
* Most pages have a '''Talk''' tab — use it to ask questions specific to that page
* For general questions, post on [[USAFAPedia:Help desk]]

Welcome to the wiki. Add what you remember.

[[Category:USAFAPedia]]
[[Category:Help]]

Draft:Spirit missions

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''This article was started from a graduate's recollections and needs verification, expansion, and additional firsthand accounts. If you participated in or witnessed a spirit mission, please add what you remember. New to USAFAPedia? See [[USAFAPedia:How to contribute|how to contribute]].''

'''Spirit missions''' are unsanctioned cadet stunts at the [[United States Air Force Academy]] designed to express squadron pride, generate stories, and occasionally embarrass the institution in good fun. Although spirit missions are most associated with rivalry games against the [[United States Military Academy|Army]] and [[United States Naval Academy|Navy]], they happen any time of year. The cadet wing has a long tradition of treating spirit missions as an obligation passed primarily to fourth-class cadets ([[doolies]]).{{cn}}

== Overview ==

Most spirit missions involve relocating, decorating, or otherwise modifying campus features without administrative permission. The targets are typically large, immobile, or otherwise difficult to move — which is the point. The greater the apparent impossibility, the better the mission. Successful missions become squadron lore; failed missions become cautionary tales told to future doolies.

Spirit missions are usually attempted by a single squadron's doolies under the loose direction of upper-class cadets, and the resulting story is recounted within that squadron for years afterward.

== Common targets ==

=== Static display aircraft on the Terrazzo ===

The static display aircraft on and around the [[Terrazzo]] have been favorite spirit-mission targets for decades. The lighter and more wheeled the aircraft, the more often it has been moved.

The '''F-104 Starfighter''' has been rolled to various locations on campus more times than has been formally counted.{{cn}}

The '''Bell X-1''' (or X-2; accounts differ) on display in the [[Air Gardens]] has been moved so frequently over the years that, according to cadet lore, [[Goodyear]] had to break out the original molds to manufacture replacement tires.{{cn}}

=== The Bell X-1 in the Arnold Hall courtyard ===

In one celebrated mission, cadets relocated the Bell X-1 from the [[Air Gardens]] into the [[Arnold Hall]] courtyard. To get the aircraft into the courtyard, they had to inch it through a short tunnel — a feat the cadets accomplished, but one that the Academy's own engineering staff (mechanical and civil engineers) subsequently declared impossible to reverse. After determining they could not back the aircraft out the way it had come, the Academy had to hire a crane to lift the Bell X-1 out of the courtyard.{{cn}}

The story is repeated as a small classic of cadet engineering bested by cadet ingenuity. The exact year and squadron responsible should be added by anyone who remembers.

=== Bronze busts of the Wright Brothers ===

Bronze busts of [[Wright Brothers|Orville and Wilbur Wright]] on campus have served as the focus of an enduring (and reportedly common) practice: cadets polish the noses of the busts, an act referred to as "brown-nosing" — a pun in keeping with the cadet tradition of finding humor in any opportunity.{{cn}}

== Cultural role ==

Spirit missions occupy a particular place in cadet culture. They are technically against regulations and can be punished if cadets are caught, but they are also tacitly understood as a healthy outlet for the cadet wing's creative energy and an expected part of squadron identity. Stories of past missions become part of the squadron's oral history, retold to incoming doolies as evidence of what their squadron is capable of.

The Academy's response to discovered missions has historically varied with the seriousness of the stunt: minor relocations of furniture or unofficial decorations might be quietly reversed without consequence, while missions involving expensive equipment or genuine damage have resulted in administrative action.

== Notable spirit missions ==

''Add specific spirit missions you participated in or witnessed. Include the year, the squadron, what was done, and any consequences. Sign with your class year.''

* Bell X-1 in the Arnold Hall courtyard — year? squadron? — see above
* ''(add more here)''

== Stories from cadets ==

''If you were involved in a spirit mission — successful or not — share what happened. The Academy's official records won't capture this; the wiki can.''

''This section awaits contributions.''

== See also ==

* [[Terrazzo]]
* [[Arnold Hall]]
* [[Air Gardens]]
* [[Doolies]]
* [[USAFA mascot heists]]

== References ==

<references />

[[Category:USAFA traditions]]
[[Category:Cadet life]]
[[Category:Cadet humor]]

Draft:Mitchell Hall traditions

USAFApediaBot — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:17:21 GMT

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''This article was started from a graduate's recollections. If you ate at Mitchell Hall as a cadet, please add what you remember about meals, traditions, and incidents from your era. See also the building article: [[Mitchell Hall]]. New to USAFAPedia? See [[USAFAPedia:How to contribute|how to contribute]].''

[[Mitchell Hall]], known to cadets as '''"Mitch's"''', is the [[United States Air Force Academy|United States Air Force Academy's]] cadet dining facility. While the building itself is documented at [[Mitchell Hall]], this article covers the dining traditions, recurring menu items, and cultural events that shaped the cadet experience of meals there over the decades.

== Recurring menu items ==

Several Mitchell Hall menu items recur across decades of cadet memory.

=== Mitch's Mountain ===

'''Mitch's Mountain''' was a dessert served at Mitchell Hall consisting of a tall conical mound of cake and ice cream — reportedly approximately 18 inches in diameter at the base.{{cn}} The dessert was a notable enough item that cadets across multiple eras remember it specifically by name. Its preparation, frequency on the menu, and the years it appeared are details worth filling in from contributors.

=== Tuesday steak sandwiches ===

For many years, Tuesday lunches at Mitchell Hall featured steak sandwiches as a recurring item.{{cn}} Whether this tradition continues, when it began, and when (if ever) it lapsed are open questions for contributors.

=== Steak and crab legs Fridays ===

Certain Fridays featured steak and crab legs as the dining hall meal.{{cn}} The frequency (every Friday? once a month? specific occasions?) and the era this was served should be confirmed by contributors.

== The smoking lamp ==

For a period whose exact dates need confirmation, smoking was permitted at the dining tables under a specific protocol called the '''smoking lamp''' tradition. The smoking lamp was understood to be "lit" or "extinguished" by announcement from the staff tower — the elevated platform where the [[Cadet Wing Commander]] and Wing staff sat during meals. When the announcement "the smoking lamp is lit" was broadcast over the dining hall's audio system, upperclassmen at the tables were permitted to smoke.{{cn}}

The tradition incorporated the cadet hierarchy in a typical way: doolies (fourth-class cadets) at each table commonly bribed their table commandant — usually with a cigar — to encourage him to "light the smoking lamp" for the table.{{cn}}

The smoking lamp tradition was discontinued at some point along with the broader cultural shift away from smoking on military installations. The exact date of discontinuation, and the era during which the tradition was at its peak, should be added by contributors.

== Notable incidents ==

=== The Class of 1979 food fight ===

In the late 1970s — at roughly the same cultural moment as the release of the film ''[[Animal House]]'' (1978) — members of the [[Class of 1979]] participated in a food fight in Mitchell Hall that received national news coverage.{{cn}} Details that should be researched and added: exact date, what triggered it, scope of the fight, administrative response, and any cadets involved who later spoke about it on the record. Contemporary newspaper coverage may be found in the ''Colorado Springs Gazette'' archives or national wire-service reports of the period.

=== Other incidents ===

''Add other notable incidents at Mitchell Hall — food strikes, organized protests, memorable speakers, fires, evacuations, anything that turned an ordinary meal into a story.''

== Dining hall protocols ==

Mitchell Hall meals have always operated under cadet protocols specific to the four-class system. These have varied across eras but generally include rules about which class can speak, sit, and eat at what times; how food is requested and served; and how meal periods are formally opened and closed.

''If you remember the specific protocols of your era — the doolie knowledge required at meals, the way the meal was called to order, how seconds were requested, how meals ended — please add them.''

== Stories from the dining hall ==

''Mitch's was the setting for everyday cadet life as much as any classroom or dorm. Add memories from your time eating there.''

''This section awaits contributions.''

== See also ==

* [[Mitchell Hall]] — the building itself
* [[Cadet Wing Commander]]
* [[Doolies]]
* [[Class of 1979]]

== References ==

<references />

[[Category:USAFA traditions]]
[[Category:Cadet life]]
[[Category:Mitchell Hall]]

Draft:Class of 1979 food fight

USAFApediaBot — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:17:20 GMT

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''This article was started from a graduate's recollection. The exact date, the trigger, the participants, the administrative response, and the news coverage all need to be filled in from sources or firsthand memory. If you were in Mitchell Hall that day — as a participant, a witness, a member of the staff — please add what you remember. New to USAFAPedia? See [[USAFAPedia:How to contribute|how to contribute]].''

The '''Class of 1979 food fight''' was an incident at the [[United States Air Force Academy|United States Air Force Academy's]] [[Mitchell Hall]] dining facility in which members of the [[Class of 1979]] participated in a large-scale food fight that received national news coverage.{{cn}} It is remembered as one of the more well-known cadet incidents of the late 1970s and is associated in cadet memory with the broader cultural moment of the film ''[[Animal House]]'' (1978).

== Background ==

The incident occurred during the same approximate period as the release and cultural absorption of ''Animal House'', a film that depicted American collegiate fraternity culture with a chaotic, irreverent tone. Whether the film directly inspired the food fight, or whether the cultural moment simply made similar incidents more visible across American institutions, is a question contributors with memory of the period may want to address.

The Class of 1979 itself sat at a particular cultural inflection point at the Academy. The class was the last all-male class to graduate from USAFA before the [[Class of 1980]] became the first to enter and graduate with women. The class culture during this period has been described by graduates as carrying a particularly assertive — and in places notorious — character.

== The incident ==

''The specific facts of the incident need to be added: date, trigger, scope, duration, response from upperclassmen and staff, and the cleanup. If you witnessed it, recorded it, or were involved, please add details.''

== News coverage ==

The food fight received national news coverage at the time.{{cn}} Contemporary press coverage from the period — likely findable in the archives of the ''Colorado Springs Gazette'', the [[Associated Press]] wire, and possibly national network television — would help establish the documented facts.

''If you have access to clippings, recordings, or sources from the time, please cite or upload them.''

== Administrative response ==

''To be added: how the Academy responded, whether there were formal punishments, whether the incident led to any policy changes regarding behavior in Mitchell Hall, and how it was framed by Academy leadership at the time.''

== Aftermath and memory ==

The food fight has remained part of [[Class of 1979]] lore and broader USAFA cadet memory. Graduates of the era reference it with a mix of amusement and recognition that the cultural moment that produced it has since passed.

''Class of 1979 graduates: please add your memories of the day, your role (or non-role), and your recollections of how the class talked about it afterward.''

== Stories from those who were there ==

''If you were in Mitchell Hall during the food fight — at the table, in the staff tower, behind the serving line, or watching from the gallery — share what you saw. Sign with your class year and squadron.''

''This section awaits contributions.''

== See also ==

* [[Mitchell Hall]] — the building
* [[Mitchell Hall traditions]] — the dining culture
* [[Class of 1979]]
* ''[[Animal House]]''
* [[Spirit missions]]

== References ==

<references />

[[Category:USAFA history]]
[[Category:Class of 1979]]
[[Category:Mitchell Hall]]
[[Category:Cadet incidents]]

Draft:Class of 1979

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''This article was started from a graduate's recollections. Class members are asked to add factual material — class size, exemplar, key dates, classmates — as well as the stories that defined the class's experience at the Academy. New to USAFAPedia? See [[USAFAPedia:How to contribute|how to contribute]].''

The '''Class of 1979''' is the [[United States Air Force Academy]] graduating class admitted in the summer of 1975 and graduated in [[1979]]. The class holds a specific position in the Academy's history as the '''last all-male graduating class''' at USAFA before the [[Class of 1980]] became the first to enter and graduate with women cadets following the [[1976 admission of women|admission of women]] to the federal service academies.

== Class identity ==

=== Class motto and yell ===

The class adopted '''"79 Mighty Fine"''' as its official class yell.{{cn}}

The class is also associated with an unofficial designation, '''"LCWB"''' — '''Last Class With Balls''' — circulated as an informal class identifier in the period during and after the [[Class of 1980]] became the first co-educational class.{{cn}} The phrase appeared on unofficial class merchandise of the period and became part of the class's self-conception. It is documented here because it is a factual part of the class's history and the broader history of the Academy's transition to coeducation; the designation reflects attitudes of its time and is not endorsed in any current institutional sense.

=== Class exemplar ===

''To be added.''

=== Class crest and colors ===

''To be added — physical description, designer, and dedication date if applicable.''

== At the Academy ==

''The four years of cadet experience for this class — significant events, leadership, training milestones, and notable members — should be filled in by class members.''

=== Notable events during the class's time at USAFA ===

* The [[Class of 1979 food fight]] in [[Mitchell Hall]] in the late 1970s, which received national news coverage{{cn}}
* The arrival of the [[Class of 1980]] in summer 1976 as the first co-educational class — an event that fundamentally reshaped the cadet wing during the Class of 1979's upper-class years
* ''(add other events)''

=== The transition to coeducation ===

The class's three-class years (third-class through first-class) overlapped with the integration of women into the cadet wing. As upperclassmen, the Class of 1979 was directly involved in setting the tone for how the cadet wing as a whole received the first women cadets — both in formal cadet leadership roles and in everyday squadron and Mitchell Hall interactions. The class's collective memory of this period is part of the documentary record of how the Academy's transition to coeducation actually went, distinct from the official institutional narrative.

''Class of 1979 graduates: this is a section that benefits especially from honest firsthand accounts. The transition was experienced differently by different cadets. Add what you saw, what you did, and what you remember now.''

=== AOCs ===

''Air Officers Commanding who served the squadrons during the class's time should be listed where remembered.''

== Graduation ==

''To be added: graduation date, commencement speaker, number of cadets graduated, class statistics.''

== Notable members ==

Add classmates whose names and post-USAFA careers should be recorded. The wikilink format means each named graduate can click through to create their own biography page.

* [[Example Graduate]] - career or achievement
* [[Another Example]] - career or achievement


== Stories from the Class of 1979 ==

''Members of this class: add your stories. The class's experience — including its position at the cultural inflection point of coeducation, the [[Class of 1979 food fight|food fight]], and the everyday realities of cadet life from 1975 through 1979 — is exactly the kind of history that exists nowhere else in compiled form. Sign with any squadron affiliations you held during your four years.''

''This section awaits contributions.''

== Reunions ==

''Class reunion notes — dates, locations, attendance, memorable moments.''

== See also ==

* [[Class of 1979 food fight]]
* [[Class of 1980]] — the first co-educational class
* [[1976 admission of women]]
* [[USAFA cheers and chants]]
* [[Mitchell Hall traditions]]

== References ==

<references />

[[Category:USAFA classes]]
[[Category:Class of 1979]]
[[Category:USAFA history]]

Draft:Ben Martin

USAFApediaBot — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:17:19 GMT

Uploaded from local file

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{{AI draft|review_needed=yes|confidence=stub}}

''This article was started from a graduate's recollections. Coach Martin's record, biography, and the specifics of his career need to be filled in from sourced material. The cadet perception sections benefit especially from firsthand contributions. New to USAFAPedia? See [[USAFAPedia:How to contribute|how to contribute]].''

'''Ben Martin''' was the head football coach at the [[United States Air Force Academy]] for an extended period spanning roughly 1958 to 1977.{{cn}} His tenure made him one of the longest-serving and most recognized figures in early Air Force Academy athletics, and the cadet wing's relationship with him — both affectionate and pointed — became part of the institution's culture in ways that outlasted his coaching career.

== Biography ==

''To be filled in. Should cover: birth date and place, college playing career (notably at the [[United States Naval Academy|Naval Academy]] — Martin was a Navy man before he was an Air Force coach), military service, hiring at USAFA, retirement, post-USAFA life, death.''

== Coaching career at USAFA ==

''Year-by-year record, notable wins, notable losses, bowl appearances, and rivalry game results need to be added from sourced material. The [[Falcons football]] historical records and contemporary press coverage from the ''Colorado Springs Gazette'' are likely the best primary sources.''

Martin's tenure included several strong seasons — particularly in the late 1950s and 1960s — followed by a long stretch in which the program was widely perceived as having stalled. The cadet wing's response to this stagnation became part of Air Force Academy lore.

== Cadet perception and culture ==

Martin was a popular and respected figure among cadets across his career — but the cadet wing did not extend reverence to the point of pretending the football program was stronger than it was. By Martin's later years, his offense had developed a reputation for predictability that cadets summarized in two famous chants.

=== "Up the middle, up the middle, pass, punt" ===

A cadet chant from the stands during football games captured the perceived monotony of the offensive playbook:

:''Up the middle, up the middle, pass, punt''

The chant was both a joke and a critique. It referred to the apparent sequence of every drive: two running plays straight up the middle, a pass attempt, and then a punt when the down-and-distance demanded it. The chant could be heard from the cadet section during stretches of unsuccessful possessions.{{cn}}

=== "Give 'em hell, Ben" ===

A second chant, often offered ironically, took the shape of a supportive cheer that turned on itself:

:''Give 'em hell, Ben — give 'em hell, Ben — oh hell, give 'em, Ben''

The phrasing's hesitation and the shift from "give 'em hell" to "give 'em, Ben" turned encouragement into resigned humor — a chant supporting Coach Martin while acknowledging the team's struggles.{{cn}}

These chants are documented here because they are part of the historical record of cadet football at USAFA in this era. They reflect the cadet wing's characteristic mode of expressing affection: through teasing, irreverence, and humor rather than through formal praise.

=== Place in Academy memory ===

Martin remains a figure remembered with genuine warmth by graduates of his era despite — and in some ways because of — the chants. Cadets who served under his football program describe him as a steady presence and a man of integrity whose record is most fairly evaluated against the unique constraints of coaching at a service academy: limited recruiting, small player pool, scholastic and military demands on cadets, and the realities of competing against larger civilian programs.

''Graduates who knew Coach Martin — players who played for him, cadets who met him, those who attended his post-Academy events — please add memories and reflections.''

== Stories from cadets who knew him ==

''If you played for Coach Martin, attended games during his tenure, or have a memorable encounter with him, please share.''

''This section awaits contributions.''

== See also ==

* [[Falcons football]]
* [[Falcon Stadium]]
* [[USAFA cheers and chants]]
* [[Commander-in-Chief's Trophy]]

== References ==

<references />

[[Category:USAFA athletics]]
[[Category:USAFA football]]
[[Category:USAFA people]]

Template:Graduate

USAFApediaBot — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:14:04 GMT

Uploaded from local file

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<noinclude>
This is the {{tl|Graduate}} template. It renders an infobox at the top of
graduate biography pages, summarizing the structured facts about the grad.

== Usage ==

Copy the following into the top of your bio page and fill in what applies:

<pre>
{{Graduate
| full_name=
| class_year=
| squadrons=
| clubs_and_teams=
| major=
| hometown=
| commission_branch=
| career_summary=
| current_status=
}}
</pre>

== Field meanings ==

* '''full_name''' — Full name as you'd like it displayed
* '''class_year''' — The year you graduated (e.g., 1985)
* '''squadrons''' — Squadrons you were in. Multiple squadrons are common
(cadets typically rotated). Format: <code>CS-21 (1981-1983), CS-19 (1983-1985)</code>
or just a comma-separated list if you don't recall years
* '''clubs_and_teams''' — Clubs, teams, special programs you participated in.
Comma-separated list. Use wikilinks where the club has its own article.
* '''major''' — Your academic major
* '''hometown''' — Where you came from before USAFA
* '''commission_branch''' — Air Force, Space Force, or other branch you
commissioned into
* '''career_summary''' — One-line summary of your career
* '''current_status''' — Active duty, retired, civilian, deceased, etc.

All fields are optional. Leave any you don't want to share blank.

== Notes for upgrading to Cargo ==

When the wiki adopts the Cargo extension, this template will be modified
to also store its data in a SQL table named "Graduates". The visible
output (the infobox) will not change. Existing pages using this template
will be picked up automatically when the schema is created.

== See also ==

* [[USAFAPedia:How to contribute]]
* {{tl|Class data}}
* {{tl|Squadron data}}

[[Category:Templates]]
</noinclude><includeonly>{| class="infobox" style="float:right; width:300px; border:1px solid #aaa; background:#f9f9f9; margin:0 0 1em 1em; font-size:90%;"
|-
! colspan="2" style="background:#003366; color:white; font-size:110%; padding:6px;" | {{{full_name|}}}
{{#if: {{{class_year|}}} |
|-
! style="text-align:right; padding:4px 8px;" | Class
| style="padding:4px 8px;" | [[Class of {{{class_year}}}|{{{class_year}}}]]
}}
{{#if: {{{squadrons|}}} |
|-
! style="text-align:right; padding:4px 8px;" | Squadrons
| style="padding:4px 8px;" | {{{squadrons}}}
}}
{{#if: {{{clubs_and_teams|}}} |
|-
! style="text-align:right; padding:4px 8px;" | Clubs / teams
| style="padding:4px 8px;" | {{{clubs_and_teams}}}
}}
{{#if: {{{major|}}} |
|-
! style="text-align:right; padding:4px 8px;" | Major
| style="padding:4px 8px;" | {{{major}}}
}}
{{#if: {{{hometown|}}} |
|-
! style="text-align:right; padding:4px 8px;" | Hometown
| style="padding:4px 8px;" | {{{hometown}}}
}}
{{#if: {{{commission_branch|}}} |
|-
! style="text-align:right; padding:4px 8px;" | Commission
| style="padding:4px 8px;" | {{{commission_branch}}}
}}
{{#if: {{{career_summary|}}} |
|-
! style="text-align:right; padding:4px 8px;" | Career
| style="padding:4px 8px;" | {{{career_summary}}}
}}
{{#if: {{{current_status|}}} |
|-
! style="text-align:right; padding:4px 8px;" | Current status
| style="padding:4px 8px;" | {{{current_status}}}
}}
|}{{#if: {{{class_year|}}} | [[Category:Class of {{{class_year}}}]] }}[[Category:Graduates]]</includeonly>

Template:Club

USAFApediaBot — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:14:03 GMT

Uploaded from local file

New page

<noinclude>
This is the {{tl|Club}} template. It renders an infobox at the top of
articles about USAFA cadet clubs, teams, and special programs.

== Usage ==

Copy the following into the top of your club page and fill in what applies:

<pre>
{{Club
| name=
| founded=
| status=
| advisor=
| ofic=
| primary_activity=
| competition=
| affiliated_squadron=
| website=
}}
</pre>

== Field meanings ==

* '''name''' — Full club name (defaults to the article title)
* '''founded''' — Year founded, if known
* '''status''' — Active, defunct, dormant, merged with another club, etc.
* '''advisor''' — Current officer-in-charge or faculty advisor (if a
long-term role exists)
* '''ofic''' — Officer in charge or staff sponsor name and rank
* '''primary_activity''' — One-line description of what the club does
* '''competition''' — Competitions the club regularly enters, if any
* '''affiliated_squadron''' — A specific squadron affiliation, if any
* '''website''' — External club website if one exists

All fields are optional.

== Notes for upgrading to Cargo ==

When the wiki adopts the Cargo extension, this template will be modified
to also store its data in a SQL table named "Clubs". The visible output
will not change.

== See also ==

* [[USAFAPedia:How to contribute]]
* {{tl|Graduate}}
* {{tl|Squadron data}}

[[Category:Templates]]
</noinclude><includeonly>{| class="infobox" style="float:right; width:300px; border:1px solid #aaa; background:#f9f9f9; margin:0 0 1em 1em; font-size:90%;"
|-
! colspan="2" style="background:#003366; color:white; font-size:110%; padding:6px;" | {{#if: {{{name|}}} | {{{name}}} | {{PAGENAME}} }}
{{#if: {{{founded|}}} |
|-
! style="text-align:right; padding:4px 8px;" | Founded
| style="padding:4px 8px;" | {{{founded}}}
}}
{{#if: {{{status|}}} |
|-
! style="text-align:right; padding:4px 8px;" | Status
| style="padding:4px 8px;" | {{{status}}}
}}
{{#if: {{{advisor|}}} |
|-
! style="text-align:right; padding:4px 8px;" | Advisor
| style="padding:4px 8px;" | {{{advisor}}}
}}
{{#if: {{{ofic|}}} |
|-
! style="text-align:right; padding:4px 8px;" | OIC
| style="padding:4px 8px;" | {{{ofic}}}
}}
{{#if: {{{primary_activity|}}} |
|-
! style="text-align:right; padding:4px 8px;" | Activity
| style="padding:4px 8px;" | {{{primary_activity}}}
}}
{{#if: {{{competition|}}} |
|-
! style="text-align:right; padding:4px 8px;" | Competition
| style="padding:4px 8px;" | {{{competition}}}
}}
{{#if: {{{affiliated_squadron|}}} |
|-
! style="text-align:right; padding:4px 8px;" | Squadron affiliation
| style="padding:4px 8px;" | {{{affiliated_squadron}}}
}}
{{#if: {{{website|}}} |
|-
! style="text-align:right; padding:4px 8px;" | Website
| style="padding:4px 8px;" | {{{website}}}
}}
|}[[Category:USAFA clubs]]</includeonly>

Template:Cn

Admin — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 05:38:26 GMT

Created page with "<sup>[''citation needed'']</sup><noinclude> This template marks a statement that needs a citation. Use as: <code>{{cn}}</code> </noinclude>"

New page

<sup>[''[[USAFAPedia:Citation needed|citation needed]]'']</sup><noinclude>
This template marks a statement that needs a citation. Use as: <code>{{cn}}</code>
</noinclude>

User:USAFApediaBot

Maintenance script — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 20:26:47 GMT

Maintenance script changed group membership for USAFApediaBot: granted bot

Main Page

MediaWiki default — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 04:25:21 GMT

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<strong>MediaWiki has been installed.</strong>

Consult the [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Help:Contents User's Guide] for information on using the wiki software.

== Getting started ==
* [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Configuration_settings Configuration settings list]
* [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Manual:FAQ MediaWiki FAQ]
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Template:Infobox USAFA article

Admin — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 02:37:42 GMT

New page

<noinclude>
This is the standard infobox for USAFAPedia articles. It's used automatically by the populate script.

Usage:
<pre>
{{Infobox USAFA article
| name = Cadet Chapel
| type = building
| location = United States Air Force Academy
| category = USAFA buildings
| image = USAFA_Cadet_Chapel.jpg
| image_caption = The Cadet Chapel
| established = 1962
| named_for = Needs verification
}}
</pre>
[[Category:Templates]]
</noinclude>
<includeonly>{| class="infobox" style="float: right; clear: right; width: 22em; margin: 0 0 1em 1em; font-size: 88%; text-align: left; border: 1px solid #aaa; background: #f9f9f9;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 110%; background: #002868; color: #fff; padding: 0.4em;" | {{{name|{{PAGENAME}}}}}
{{#if: {{{image|}}} |
{{!}}-
{{!}} colspan="2" style="text-align: center; padding: 0.4em;" {{!}} [[File:{{{image}}}|frameless|260px|{{{image_caption|}}}]]
}}
{{#if: {{{image_caption|}}} |
{{!}}-
{{!}} colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 90%; padding: 0 0.4em 0.4em; font-style: italic;" {{!}} {{{image_caption}}}
}}
{{#if: {{{type|}}} |
{{!}}-
{{!}} style="background: #f2f2f2; padding: 0.3em 0.6em; vertical-align: top; width: 35%;" {{!}} '''Type'''
{{!}} style="padding: 0.3em 0.6em;" {{!}} {{{type}}}
}}
{{#if: {{{location|}}} |
{{!}}-
{{!}} style="background: #f2f2f2; padding: 0.3em 0.6em; vertical-align: top;" {{!}} '''Location'''
{{!}} style="padding: 0.3em 0.6em;" {{!}} {{{location}}}
}}
{{#if: {{{category|}}} |
{{!}}-
{{!}} style="background: #f2f2f2; padding: 0.3em 0.6em; vertical-align: top;" {{!}} '''Category'''
{{!}} style="padding: 0.3em 0.6em;" {{!}} {{{category}}}
}}
{{#if: {{{established|}}} |
{{!}}-
{{!}} style="background: #f2f2f2; padding: 0.3em 0.6em; vertical-align: top;" {{!}} '''Established'''
{{!}} style="padding: 0.3em 0.6em;" {{!}} {{{established}}}
}}
{{#if: {{{named_for|}}} |
{{!}}-
{{!}} style="background: #f2f2f2; padding: 0.3em 0.6em; vertical-align: top;" {{!}} '''Named for'''
{{!}} style="padding: 0.3em 0.6em;" {{!}} {{{named_for}}}
}}
|}</includeonly>

Template:AI draft

Admin — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 23:09:41 GMT

Created page with "<noinclude> This template marks AI-drafted articles awaiting human review. It's added automatically by the populate script. Usage: <pre> {{AI draft|review_needed=yes|confidence=medium}} </pre> Parameters: * '''review_needed''' — yes / no (default: yes) * '''confidence''' — low / medium / high (default: medium) Category:Templates </noinclude><includeonly><div style="border: 2px solid #c50; background: #fff8e1; padding: 0.8em 1em; margin: 0 0 1em 0; border-radiu..."

New page

<noinclude>
This template marks AI-drafted articles awaiting human review. It's added automatically by the populate script.

Usage:
<pre>
{{AI draft|review_needed=yes|confidence=medium}}
</pre>

Parameters:
* '''review_needed''' — yes / no (default: yes)
* '''confidence''' — low / medium / high (default: medium)

[[Category:Templates]]
</noinclude><includeonly><div style="border: 2px solid #c50; background: #fff8e1; padding: 0.8em 1em; margin: 0 0 1em 0; border-radius: 4px;">
'''⚠ AI-drafted article.''' This article was generated by an automated draft tool and has not yet been reviewed by a human editor. Please verify all claims against the cited sources before promoting to mainspace.

{{#if: {{{review_needed|yes}}} | <small>Review needed: '''{{{review_needed|yes}}}'''.</small> }}{{#if: {{{confidence|}}} | <small> Confidence: '''{{{confidence}}}'''.</small> }}
</div>[[Category:AI-drafted articles]]</includeonly>