COLORADO SPRINGS — The Class of 2027 cadets have been in basic training at the Air Force Academy this Summer. For the last two weeks, new students have been at Jack's Valley to face challenges they've never encountered before.
"The Jack's Valley experience is an experience that is shared across all of the graduates of the United States Air Force Academy. It is an experience that is meant to physically and mentally challenge them," said the Commandant of Cadets Brig. Gen. Gavin Marks.
For the last two weeks, new cadets have been staying in Jack's Valley. Today, they went through the assault course and obstacle course to get a small taste of what a battlefield feels like.
"Going through obstacles under barb wire through Barb wire through tunnels up and over walls right behind me they will be crawling through a mud trench basically," said Basic Cadet Training Program Manager Master Sergeant Alex Rose.
Leaders say one goal is to challenge cadets beyond the idea of their limits.
"In their mind, they can't go any further, they can't push themselves anymore. But then they do," continued MSG Rose.
Brig. Gen. Marks believes cadets will only succeed in training through teamwork.
"There's really no limit to what they can accomplish if they believe in themselves, and if they team together with their classmates to get it accomplished. that's really one of the main benefits of this experience as a let them know that whatever preconceived ideas of limit the hat on themselves, they can exceed those", said Brig. Gen. Marks.
The Class of 2027 cadets will finish their basic training on August 9th. Classes at the Air Force Academy start on August 10th.
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