Graduating the Future of Flight: Class 26-16 Published Aug. 28, 2026 By Senior Airman Jarrett Smith 47 Flying Training Wing Public Affairs LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Thirty U.S. Air Force officers were awarded the coveted silver wings as a symbol of their hard work and training during their graduation ceremony held Aug. 27, 2026. Undergraduate Pilot Training is a training program that helps prepare prospective military pilots. Upon completion of the program, graduates earn their silver wings as Air Force aviators. The guest speaker at the Class 26-16 graduation ceremony was Col. Brenton Ekren, 19th Air Force director of operations at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. He manages the operational execution of more than 350,000 flying hours and leads the foundational aircrew training pipeline producing over 7,700 graduates annually. Receiving their pilot wings during the ceremony were: Capt. Chee Siong Boey Capt. Jia Yang Teo 1st Lt. Andrew Ferkany 1st Lt. Emma Redmond 1st Lt. Steven Torres 2nd Lt. Nicholas Benson 2nd Lt. Dexter Cathey 2nd Lt. Samuel Cook 2nd Lt. Joseph Cox 2nd Lt. Christopher Cuozzo 2nd Lt. Cody Gross 2nd Lt. London Holmes 2nd Lt. Owen Konopacki 2nd Lt. William Magdziuk 2nd Lt. Ethan Mayo 2nd Lt. Daniel McDonough 2nd Lt. Lake Millis 2nd Lt. Trace Morrissey 2nd Lt. Martin Mugo 2nd Lt. Gage Musser 2nd Lt. Quentin Pinheiro 2nd Lt. Rylee Price 2nd Lt. Scott Rockett 2nd Lt. Dylan Roger 2nd Lt. Jared Roznos 2nd Lt. Aidan Schwaab 2nd Lt. Austin Schwartz 2nd Lt. Ozzie Slawnikowski 2nd Lt. Tristan St. John 2nd Lt. Adam Vale In addition to the graduation ceremony, a special emphasis was placed on recognizing the sacrifices and contributions of military spouses. It served as a reminder that while the graduates were the ones receiving their wings, their achievements were also a testament to the love, sacrifice and constant support of their spouses, who serve alongside them in spirit and strength. “Tonight, we not only recognize the accomplishments of our pilots, but we take a moment to celebrate our Air Force spouses,” said Lt. Col. Dane Coppini, 47th Student Squadron commander. “While not in uniform, spouses are the backbone of our Air Force community. We thank you for your love and support. We thank you for celebrating with us when we slip the surely bonds of earth. And we thank you for comforting and encouraging us after a flight does not go as planned. Tonight, you and your spouse have crested one of the hardest climbs in an Air Force career and you did it together. But this was just the start.” In the days leading up to graduation, Laughlin’s aircraft maintainers and student pilots participated in an appreciation ceremony to recognize the partnership between their respective roles. Maintainers presented pilots with the wings they would pin during the graduation event. In return, the student pilots offered their class patch as a token of appreciation. The exchange serves as a reminder that successful flight training is a team effort, supported by the contributions of dedicated personnel across the base. The ceremony proceeded with the breaking of the wings, a tradition symbolizing the start of a new journey for the novice pilots. According to tradition, the first pair of wings a pilot receives should never be worn. Instead, the wings should be broken into two halves to invite good fortune throughout the pilot’s aviation career. One half is kept by the pilot, while the other is given to a significant person in their life. To preserve that good luck, those two halves are said to only be brought together again in the next life. The event culminated in the pinning of the wings, where friends and family members affixed a pair of silver wings onto the graduates’ uniforms. This gesture signified the official transition of the students into winged aviators, fully prepared to embrace the forthcoming roles within the United States Air Force. Pilot wings are a symbol of hard work, training, and dedication. Aviation wings are issued to pilots who have achieved a certain level of proficiency or training.