VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. – Twenty-five students in Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 23-14 received their wings during a ceremony held Sept. 15 at Vance Air Force Base.
Having completed their initial aviation training in the T-6A Texan II, the newly pinned pilots will continue in either the T-1A Jayhawk or the T-38C Talon training aircraft at Vance.
The guest speaker at the Class 23-14 graduation ceremony was retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Jason Cripps. His last assignment was as assistant Adjutant General-Air to Joint Force Headquarters with the Tennessee National Guard in Nashville, Tennessee. Cripps received his wings following Undergraduate Pilot Training in April 1986, at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi.
The Class 23-14 award winners were:
Capt. Ian Verzoni received the Academic Award, the Leadership Award and was named a Distinguished Graduate;
2nd Lt. Ryan Leach received the Flying Training Award, the Air Education & Training Command Commander’s Trophy and was named a Distinguished Graduate;
Capt. Malcolm Skinner received the Wingman Award.
Also receiving their pilot wings during the ceremony were:
Capts. James Magazzino, Ramon Montano, Alexander Stauth, Ryan Ward; 2nd Lts. Max Babbidge, Benjamin Baroody, Alex Cripps, Hayden Debuse, Daniel Devito, Jonathan Hamilton, Griffin Kelly, Ethan Kliewer, Zackery Koenig, Kyle Leuschen, Spencer Locke, Francis McGrail, Alec Moonier, Samuel Poisson, Jonathan Rees, Jacob Taylor, Zachary Thomas and Jordon Williams.
Vance has graduated 35,781 pilots since training began in 1941.