Class 25-03 students pin on wings following their graduation ceremony Dec. 6

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  • 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs

VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. – Twenty-five students in Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 25-03 received their wings during a ceremony held Dec. 6 at Vance Air Force Base.

The newly pinned pilots completed their initial aviation training in the T-6A Texan II and will continue in either the T-1A Jayhawk or the T-38C Talon training programs at Vance.

The guest speaker at the Class 25-03 graduation ceremony was Air Force Brig. Gen. Derek Salmi, the deputy commander, Nineteenth Air Force at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. Salmi is a command pilot with more than 3,300 flight hours. He earned his wings at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, and has flown the C-5, KC-135, C-17, KC-10 and the KC-46.

Class 25-03 award winners were:
1st Lt. Ricardo de Bastos received the Academic Award;
1st Lt. Kayla Mbaye received the Leadership Award;
Capt. Justin DeCoud received the Flying Training Award, the Air Education & Training Command Commander’s Trophy and was named a Distinguished Graduate;
1st Lt. Natalie Meyer received the Wingman Award;
2nd Lt. Robert Burr was named a Distinguished Graduate.

Also receiving their pilot wings during the ceremony were:
Capt. Cong Chinh Nguyen; 1st Lts. Colin Lilya, Keanu McElroy, Ryan Pfaffenbichler, Cristin von Pankau; 2nd Lts. William Baldinger, Max Bunband, Morgan Dean, Jarred Dover, Cody Fox, Devon Grundvig, Benjamin Knutsen, Wyatt Lewis, Daniel Nelson, Harrison Preston, Timothy Quakkelaar, Jordan Rogers, Eric Smith, Andrew Van Lare and Jackson Walvoord.