Offering cadets a home away from home

  • Published
  • By Debbie Gildea, 340th Flying Training Group Public Affairs

Many young people heading for college experience a little trepidation at the thought of being far from family, friends and all that’s familiar. For U.S. Air Force Academy cadets, that trepidation is tripled by the significance of the life they’ve chosen and the education - beyond the academics - that they undergo.

 

A cadet sponsor program exists, however, to help ease the stress and enable America’s future leaders to thrive during their Academy experience. In the program, fourth year cadets (freshmen) are assigned to a sponsor family and remain with them for the entire four-year program.

 

As a new cadet in 2003, Maj. Sean O’Malley experienced all of the upheaval and stress common to leaving home for college, and the additional stressors inherent in attending college at the Academy. His positive experience with the cadet sponsor program drove him to want to give back.

 

Now, he and his wife Becky (an autism support coordinator for a local school district) and their children open their home and hearts annually to new cadets, providing them a place to relax, get away from day-to-day stress, have a home-cooked meal, and more.

 

The O’Malley’s offer more than just a place to hang out, though. The cadets become part of their family. They celebrate their cadets’ successes (like solo flights), encourage them to experience community activities (like annual holiday events) and pose for goofy fun family photos, like families do.

 

The result of the program is evident in the high caliber leaders the Academy graduates annually; leaders who - thanks to the O’Malleys and other sponsors - understand the critical need and invaluable impact of taking care of Airmen. This is what being a great wingman looks like.