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New pilot's proud family

A new Air Force pilot celebrates the graduation of Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 25-09 with his family following a ceremony held May 2 at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Sarah Smith)

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No comms? No problem!

Training aircraft, like this T-6A Texan II, are now able to return to Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, from weekend sorties without approach control or communication with Vance tower personnel. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Airman 1st Class Jordan Sillence)

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Pinning the new wings

Pinning wings on a new U.S. Air Force aviator is a special event for family and friends. Twenty-four students in Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 25-05 received their wings during a ceremony held Jan. 31 at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Sarah Smith)

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Presenting the graduating class

The 24 new aviators in Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 25-05 are presented to family and friends during a graduation ceremony held Jan. 31 at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Sarah Smith)

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Senior Airman Tyler Dash and his military working dog, Ddelarge

Team Vance Working Dog Team patrols United Nations

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Earning a Ranger tab

1st Lt. Adama Mbaye, a 71st Security Forces Squadron logistics officer from Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, attending the U.S. Army’s Ranger School at Fort Moore, Georgia. (Courtesy photo)

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Training for the tab

1st Lt. Adama Mbaye, a 71st Security Forces Squadron logistics officer from Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, at the entrance to the U.S. Army’s Ranger School at Fort Moore, Georgia. He completed the training and earned his Ranger tab. (Courtesy photo)

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U.S. Air Force partners with academia, industry to test future pilot production model

U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Victoria Cutt (left) and U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Marques Johnson (right), University of North Dakota Aerospace Foundation student pilots, listen to their instructor, Jan. 7, 2025, in Mesa, Arizona. The student pilots are in the process of earning their private pilot certificates and instrument and multi-engine ratings, as part of Air Education and Training Command’s Initial Pilot Training Small Group Tryouts. AETC is partnering with the civil aviation sector as part of its plan to revise pilot training for U.S. Air Force and partner nation pilots.

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Retiring a canine partner

Maj. Daniel McCraw, left, the commander of the 71st Security Forces Squadron, and Staff Sgt. Sydney Adams, a 71st SFS military working dog trainer, participate in the retirement of Ares, a military working dog, at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, Dec. 19, 2024. Ares retired after 8 years of active-duty service assigned to the 71st SFS. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Ashley Talley)

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A wingman with fur

Staff Sgt. Sydney Adams, a 71st Security Forces Squadron military working dog trainer and her canine partner, Military Working Dog Ares. (Courtesy photo)

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Partners for life

Senior Airman Sydney Adams, 71st Security Forces Squadron, a military working dog handler at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, and her canine partner, Ares, prepare for a future together. Adams adopted Ares after his retirement. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Ashley Talley)

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One pint at a time

1st Lt. Michael Ober, an airfield operations flight operations officer assigned to the 71st Operations Support Squadron at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is a bridge between the Our Blood Institute and Vance by helping promote blood drives on base. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Airman 1st Class Jordan Sillence)

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Meeting the general

Brig. Gen. Derek Salmi, left, the deputy commander of Nineteenth Air Force, greets students in Class 25-03 prior to their graduation ceremony held Dec. 6, at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Sarah Smith)

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Class 25-03

Twenty-five students in Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 25-03 wait to receive their wings during a ceremony held Dec. 6 at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Sarah Smith)

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Pinning the wings

A Class 25-03 graduate has his wings pinned on by his family following a ceremony held Dec. 6 at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Sarah Smith)

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Wings for new pilots

Twenty-five sets of wings awaiting presentation during the Class 25-03 graduation ceremony held Dec. 6 at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Sarah Smith)

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International Student Pilot Graduation

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Three generations of aviators

Three generations of the Bless family are now Air Force aviators. 2nd Lt. William Hunter Bless, a newly winged student pilot assigned to the 71st Student Squadron at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, stands between his grandfather, left, retired Lt. Col. William “Billy” Bless, and his father, right, retired Lt. Col. Ronald William Bless. Lieutenant Bless received his Air Force wings during a graduation ceremony held Aug. 23, at Vance. His grandfather also learned to fly at Vance Air Force Base more than 70 years ago. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Sarah Smith)

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CMSgt J. Allan Pickren

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Sharing her story of loss and healing

Kristen Christy, a master resilience trainer and resiliency expert, shared her story of losing her husband to suicide and her journey to healing with Airmen at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, Sept. 11, 2024. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Airman 1st Class Christopher Ornelas Jr.)

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