Life as a cadet is nothing short of a unique experience. Each day seems to present its own set of obstacles — school is extremely difficult, required military training on weekends can seem tedious, and we all line up in our matching clothes and march to lunch every day. Yet, there is no other university that provides equivalently extraordinary opportunities. Despite my initial perception, summer is one of the most amazing opportunities the Academy has to over.

If you had told me two years ago, when I was contemplating accepting my appointment to the Academy that I would voluntarily give up my summer leave period, relaxing with friends and family, for an Academy-sponsored program, I would have told you that you were absolutely crazy. In fact, when I was first accepted to the Air Force Academy, I made a pro and con list regarding the school, and “only three weeks of summer break every year” was undoubtedly a con. Now, however, I would not trade my summer experiences as a cadet for an endless summer vacation. In no particular order, these are a few of the incredible summer jobs cadets have:

1. Airmanship (Jump, Soaring, Unmanned Aerial Systems)

Between the freshmen and sophomore summer, the majority of cadets elect to participate in one of the Academy’s three airmanship programs.

Over 400 cadets have the opportunity to fly the TG-16A glider, which familiarizes them with aircraft controls, aircrew checklists and area and pattern work. The summer program consists of 14 flights with the potential to solo the aircraft upon program completion.

Airmanship 490 is the basic parachuting course at USAFA. It's the only place in the world where your first jump from an airplane is completely solo — no static line or instructors. After 40 hours of ground training and a few minutes in the indoor wind tunnel, students "stand in the door" and exit one of the Air Force's three Twin Otters from 4,500 feet above the ground for 10 seconds of freefall. After five jumps, students are awarded the Basic Parachutist Wings.

Finally, cadets may also enroll in the Unmanned Aerial Systems course. Cadets receive “15 hours of ground instruction and accomplish five flying missions for about three hours of flight time as part of a familiarization program.” Cadets then have the opportunity to travel to Air Force Special Operations Command, at Hurlburt Field in Florida, the following summer for the full weapons system certification on the RQ-11 Raven DDL.

2. Ops Air Force

Following a cadet’s sophomore year, they are assigned to an operational Air Force base somewhere in the country (sometimes world). Simply put, this is the Academy’s version of job shadowing to assist cadets in selecting the right career path for them. Although I am biased and believe I was somehow lucky enough to receive the best base out there (Ramstein, Germany), all Ops experiences are rewarding. During the program, cadets shadow multiple career fields, receive incentive flights, seek mentorship from officers and enlisted personnel, and much more. This experience has greatly shaped my ideal career path and provided pertinent information — having two free weekend and transportation to explore Germany wasn’t too bad either.

3. Cadet Summer Language Immersion Program (CSLIP)

After completing at least the 200 level language courses, cadets have the opportunity to travel to a country that speaks the target language for three weeks during the summer. During this program, cadets may live with a host family, attend a language school, explore the city/nation and truly immerse themselves in the culture they are attempting to study. Although classroom language study is an essential component to learning a language, there is no better way to improve language competency than diving head first into the culture. Another perk: this program counts as a class credit towards a cadet’s language minor.

4. Leadership

All of these programs are amazing to go through, but it is even more amazing to lead them. After a cadet’s sophomore year, they have the opportunity to plan and manage every summer program the Academy offers. Cadets have the opportunity to lead airmanship programs, survival training, Basic Cadet Training, sports camp, Summer Seminar or other unique programs at the Academy. Although these programs may not seem as instantaneously flashy as international travel, summer programs at the Academy provide cadets unique opportunities to lead an assortment of individuals in a variety of situations which prepares them for their future careers as Air Force officers.

5. Leave

Academy life can be (usually is) very hectic, so when we do finally get a break, we appreciate every second. Yeah, there might be a day or two we sleep more hours than we’re awake, but most of leave is spent enjoying our friends and family that we only get to see a few times each year. Three weeks might seem short, but, three weeks of paid vacation means not having to worry about getting a job and maximizing what little time we have to chill.

A special thank you to Christana Wagner and Josh Leonard for their contributions to the Airmanship section as a WOB and Soaring IP respectively.