The culmination of a cadet’s freshman year at USAFA is a three-day event called Recognition. Here’s a description of this event from their website:

Recognition is the formal finale of the fourth-class year when the fourth-class cadets are “recognized” as upperclass cadets and are allowed to wear the Prop and Wings insignia on their flight caps. It is a vital and traditional segment of the Academy experience and is a ceremonial acknowledgement that the fourth-class has successfully met the military training requirements and is prepared to continue the rigorous Academy journey.

A few days prior to Recognition, one of Jake’s friends invited him to run a 12k ruck run, where they run on trails with a heavy backpack on their backs. Jake’s watch has been a big asset to him this school year.

The run was a challenge, but not too challenging to wipe the smile off this guy’s face. Jake’s friend ended up running ahead, while Jake stayed back with a guy named Zebulun.

He said it was good preparation for the upcoming task.

The three days of Recognition began on Thursday, with lots of yelling (most cadets and cadre lost their voices by the end) and physical strain. The final test was the freshmen and seniors’ “run to the rock” on Saturday afternoon. Here is Jake’s squad posing after arriving to the rock.

After the march back to base,

they arrived to their festively decorated rooms!

We had sent decorations, civilian clothes and candy to Jake’s sophomore supervisor, so he could decorate the room as a surprise. Such a great tradition.

The kids back at the homefront had decorated a big banner for Jake and Grayson.

The freshmen were told to clean up and meet as a squadron in a room nearby, where they would receive their prop and wings pins.

Those smiles show great relief after enduring some significant trials throughout the past nine months!

Congratulations to Jake for being officially Recognized as an upperclass cadet!

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith… (Hebrews 12:1-2)