A fresh crop of 1,274 basic cadet trainees started their in-processing and entered basic cadet training on June 24 at the Air Force Academy in Colorado. Of these appointees, who make up the academy’s class of 2014, there are 291 women (22.8 percent of the class) and 350 minorities (27.4 percent), including black (7.9 percent), Hispanic (8.9 percent), native American (one percent), and Pacific islander (9.8 percent). Basic cadet training runs through July 31. The Academy’s fall semester starts on Aug. 7. (Air Force Academy report by John Van Winkle)
Active-duty transgender troops have until June 6 to self-identify and begin the voluntary separation process or wait and risk possible involuntary separation later—even as questions linger over how that decision might affect their security clearances for future employment.