VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The U.S. Air Force awarded wings to 18 new pilots today during the graduation of Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 16-08 at Vance Air Force Base.

All but two of the new pilots will leave here for other locations for additional aviation training. Those two will remain at Vance AFB to train future pilots to fly the T-6A Texan II and the T-1A Jayhawk.

Col. Todd Hohn, commander of the 97th Air Mobility Wing at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, was the guest speaker for the graduation, held at 10 a.m. in the base auditorium. Attending were guests, family, friends and members of the SUPT Class 17-08, the newest student pilots.

Graduation certificates and distinguished graduate awards were presented to the new pilots by Col. Clark Quinn, the 71st Flying Training Wing commander.

Col. John Cinnamon, the 71st Operations Group commander, presented awards for academic excellent, leadership and flying training.

Colonel Hohn presented the Air Education and Training Command commander’s trophies.

Award winners were:
Academic Excellence in the T-1A Jayhawk, 2nd Lt. Andrew Jana; T-38 Talon, 2nd Lt. Jeffrey Teufel.
Leadership Award in the T-1, 2nd Lt. James Whisenhunt; T-38, 2nd Lt. Park Lundgreen.
Flying Training Award in the T-1, 2nd Lt. Andrew Jana; T-38, 2nd Lt. Jeffrey Teufel.
Distinguished Graduate in the T-1, 2nd Lt. Andrew Jana; T-38, 2nd Lt. Jeffrey Teufel.
The Daedalian AETC Commander’s Trophy in the T-1, 2nd Lt. Andrew Jana; T-38, 2nd Lt. Jeffrey Teufel.

Recipients of the Risner River Rats Awards were: T-1, 2nd Lt. Jenny Brown; T-38, 2nd Lt. John Tardieu.

The 18 new pilots in Class 16-08 were 2nd Lts. Joseph D. Russell, Nathan W. Armes, Jenny L. Brown, Joseph W. Drake, Matthew S. Elbus, Thomas C. Fitzgerald, Will D. Fleming, Thomas P. Holland, Andrew J. Jana, Samuel C. Janzen, Park A. Lundgreen, Steven A. O'Briant, Katelyn E. Potts, John D. Tardieu, Jeff T. Teufel, Andrew A. Theiss, Justin W. Vagts and James L. Whisenhunt.

The graduates received assignments for training in the:
F-35A Lightning II, the U.S. Air Force’s latest fifth-generation fighter -- this was the first SUPT class at Vance AFB to receive an F-35 assignment;
KC-135 Stratotanker, an aerial refueling and transport aircraft;
F-16 Fighting Falcon, a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft;
MQ-1 Predator, an armed, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft;
C-17 Globemaster III, the Air Force’s newest, most flexible cargo aircraft;
C-130J Hercules, a tactical airlift vehicle capable of operating from undeveloped airfields;
F-15C Eagle, an all-weather tactical air-superiority fighter;
U-28A, a special operations tactical airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft.
MQ-1B Predator, an armed, multi-mission, medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft;
T-1A Jayhawk, a medium-range, twin-engine jet trainer;
T-6A Texan II, a single-engine, two-seat primary trainer;
B-52 Stratofortress, a long-range, heavy bomber that can perform a variety of missions.