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Cadet 3rd Class Layne Harrod (left) and Cadet 2nd Class Chelsaa Ragland help Oakley Gardner build a balsa glider during a Leaders in Flight Training outing at the U.S. Air Force Academy Jan. 22, 2011, in Colorado Springs, Colo. Oakley is the daughter of Army Staff Sgt. Erich Gardner, who is stationed at Fort Carson, Colo. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan)
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Cadets LIFT spirits of Fort Carson families
Posted 1/27/2011
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by Staff Sgt. Raymond Hoy
U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs
1/27/2011 - U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFNS) -- Academy cadets invited family members of deployed Soldiers from Fort Carson, Colo. to a day of fun Jan. 21 at the Cadet Field House here.
More than 100 family members were greeted by 75 cadets as they enjoyed movies, face painting, inflatable obstacle courses and ice skating. The field day was the brainchild of the cadets and was a part of the Leaders in Flight Today program.
"It's one of the programs we have to go through here," said Cadet 2nd Class Delaney Kiernan, one of the cadets in charge of the event. "Cadets have to go through similar programs each year, and they kind of build on one another. It's all about learning how to be a leader."
This particular program gave the cadets the opportunity to learn how to be leaders of a different sort.
"It's important for us to realize that there are other ways to be a leader," said Cadet 2nd Class Colin Swanson, another event organizer. "We need to know that we aren't just in charge of our people on the battlefield, we need to take care of our people at home as well."
"I think so often we're here and put so much into this school, that it's good to get a look out into the real world and understand that we're not the only ones going through something tough," Cadet Kiernan said.
And while the cadets got a good learning experience, the families got a fun break away from what can be a very monotonous time while mom or dad is away.
"Knowing that we could come here and have something fun to look forward to, that was a huge deal," said Janelle Ginsburg, the wife of a Fort Carson chaplain. "Instead of sitting around on another Saturday looking at each other saying, 'What do you want to do? I don't know, what do you want to do?' Just being able to look forward to something fun to do was a big impetus for us to come."
Following the field activities, the families were treated to an Air Force Falcons basketball game.
This was the second LIFT program event this school year, and coordinators and cadets would like to see it happen again.
"I thought the event went extremely well this weekend," said Lt. Col. Bryan Huntley, the director of character and leadership development. "We definitely enjoy(ed) ourselves, and we know the families definitely (appreciated) it. What made it especially meaningful was pairing a cadet to each family; the connection between the children and cadets was immediate. I received many comments from both cadets and parents saying how special this event was because of the direct interaction."
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