Cadet Rank Insignia
| Cadet Fourth Class - C4C (Freshman) | Cadet Third Class - C3C (Sophomore) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Cadet | Cadet 4th Class | Unranked | Cadet Staff Sergeant | Cadet Technical Sergeant | |
| No insignia | ) | ) | ) | ) | |
| Cadet Second Class - C2C (Junior) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadet 2nd Class | Cadet Master Sergeant | Cadet Senior Master Sergeant | Cadet Chief Master Sergeant | ||||
| Unranked | Squadron 1st Sgt | Squadron Superintendent | Group Superintendent | Wing Command Chief | |||
) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | |
| Cadet First Class - C1C (Senior) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadet 1st Class | Cadet 2nd Lieutenant | Cadet 1st Lieutenant | Cadet Captain | Cadet Major | Cadet Lieutenant Colonel | Cadet Colonel | |||||
| Unranked | Flight Cmdr | Squadron Commander | Group Commander | Vice Wing Commander | Wing Commander | ||||||
) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) |
Former cadet ranks
| Cadet Third Class - C3C (Sophomore) |
|---|
| Cadet Staff Sergeant Chief Clerk/Guidon Bearer |
) |
Cadet Squadron Insignia
Current Cadet Squadrons
| First Cadet Group | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadet Sq. 1 | Cadet Sq. 2 | Cadet Sq. 3 | Cadet Sq. 4 | Cadet Sq. 5 | Cadet Sq. 6 | Cadet Sq. 7 | Cadet Sq. 8 | Cadet Sq. 9 | Cadet Sq. 10 |
| Mighty Mach One | Deuce | Dogs of War | Fightin' Fourth | Wolfpack | Bull Six | Shadow Seven | Eagle Eight | Viking Nine | Tiger Ten |
) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ){kind=small} | ) | ) | ) |
| Second Cadet Group | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadet Sq. 11 | Cadet Sq. 12 | Cadet Sq. 13 | Cadet Sq. 14 | Cadet Sq. 15 | Cadet Sq. 16 | Cadet Sq. 17 | Cadet Sq. 18 | Cadet Sq. 19 | Cadet Sq. 20 |
| Rebeleven | Dirty Dozen | Bulldawgs | Cobras | War Eagles | Chicken Hawks | Stalag 17 | Nightriders | Wolverines | Trolls |
) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) |
| Third Cadet Group | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadet Sq. 21 | Cadet Sq. 22 | Cadet Sq. 23 | Cadet Sq. 24 | Cadet Sq. 25 | Cadet Sq. 26 | Cadet Sq. 27 | Cadet Sq. 28 | Cadet Sq. 29 | Cadet Sq. 30 |
| Blackjack | Raptors | Barnstormers | Phantoms | Redeye | Barons | Thunderbirds | Blackbirds | Black Panthers | Knights |
) | ){kind=small} | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) |
| Fourth Cadet Group | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadet Sq. 31 | Cadet Sq. 32 | Cadet Sq. 33 | Cadet Sq. 34 | Cadet Sq. 35 | Cadet Sq. 36 | Cadet Sq. 37 | Cadet Sq. 38 | Cadet Sq. 39 | Cadet Sq. 40 |
| Grim Reapers | Roadrunners | King Ratz (Cellar Ratz) | Loose Hawgs | Wild Weasels | Pink Panthers | Skyraiders | All-stars | Jedi Knights | Warhawks |
) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ){kind=small} | ) |
Defunct Cadet Squadron Insignia
| Defunct Squadron Insignia | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadet Sq. 2 | Cadet Sq. 3 | Cadet Sq. 5 | Cadet Sq. 8 | Cadet Sq. 9 | ||||||
| Deuce | Big 3 | Wolfpack | Evil Eight | Viking Nine | Star Trek | |||||
) | ) | ){kind=small} | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ){kind=small} | ) | ) |
| Defunct Squadron Insignia (cont) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadet Sq. 14 | Cadet Sq. 17 | Cadet Sq. 19 | Cadet Sq. 20 | Cadet Sq. 23 | Cadet Sq. 28 | |||||
| Cobras | Stalag 17 | Playboy 19 | Starship | Trolls | Barnstormers | Blackbirds | ||||
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| Defunct Squadron Insignia (cont) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadet Sq. 31 | Cadet Sq. 34 | Cadet Sq. 35 | Cadet Sq. 37 | Cadet Sq. 38 | Cadet Sq. 39 | Cadet Sq. 40 | ||||
| Grim Reapers | Thunderbolts/Razorbacks (Loose Hawgs) | Wild Weasels | Skyraiders | Bandits | Campus Rads | Ali Baba | Warhawks | |||
) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ||
Miscellaneous Insignia
Merit lists
Cadet merit list insignia are worn by those cadets who excel militarily (Commandant's List), academically (Dean's List), or athletically (Athletic Director's List). Cadets who earn a place on all three lists are awarded the insignia for the Superintendent's List.
| Cadet Merit List Insignia | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commandant's List | Dean's List | Athletic Director's List | Commandant's & Dean's Lists | Commandant's & Athletic Director's Lists | Dean's & Athletic Director's Lists | Superintendent's List |
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Aviation
Cadet aviation insignia are worn by cadets who achieve certain milestones in their flight training.
| Cadet Aviation Insignia | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Unmanned Aerial Systems | Soaring/Powered Flight - Solo | Command Soaring Instructor Pilot | Cadet Aviation Instructor |
) | ) | ) | ) |
Other qualifications
While at the Air Force Academy, cadets may earn other insignia including: parachute wings, for completion of either freefall parachute training at the Academy or the U.S. Army's Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia; the Air Assault Badge for completion of the U.S. Army's Air Assault program at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; or the Bulldog badge for the completion of the U.S. Marine Corps' "Bulldog" program at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.
| Other Cadet Insignia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Parachute (jump) Wings | Air Assault Badge | Bulldog Badge |
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References
- Squadron Insignia of the United States Air Force Academy, P. Michael Sheridan, 1990. (ISBN 0-9627388-0-8)
- "Cadet Insignia/Badges". Contrails 1999-2000. 45. Air Force Academy, Colorado: United States Air Force Academy. 1999. pp. 279–283. LCCN 80640513.
- Contrails, various years.