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Posted Tuesday, October 09, 2007
By Butch Wehry
Academy Spirit Staff
A second lieutenant was named the 2007 U.S. Air Force Cadet of the Year for his accomplishments during four years at the United States Air Force Academy.
Lt. Brandon Dues, now attending training at the Pardee RAND Graduate School in Santa Monica, Calif., through the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Civilian Institution Programs, was selected by a British air squadron, a private organization of British citizens who pay tribute to the U.S. military for its support of the United Kingdom. It recognizes the most outstanding cadet in an Air Force commissioning program.
“I was shocked; due to the sheer magnitude of the challenges and difficulties I faced during my firstie year, I never expected to receive the award,” said Lt. Dues from the West Coast. “I am still adjusting to the fact. I cannot say I accomplished everything on my own—there are many people to thank for all their help and support.”
He said he never sought to achieve the award and never knew it existed until his air officer commanding nominated him for it.
“I wanted to ‘finish strong’ my firstie year and I invested a lot of time trying to give back to the Academy—being honored for simply trying to do my job is a shock for me,” the lieutenant said. “In everything I worked on at the Academy, passion and intensity were at the forefront.”
Lt. Dues was credited for expertly commanding the day-to-day operations and performance of 1,300 incoming freshman cadets and more than 1,000 more senior cadets.
“He was the link between the cadets and the commandant,” read the award citation.
“His efforts resulted in the best basic cadet training at the Academy,” said Brig. Gen. Susan Desjardins, Academy commandant.
As a cadet, Lt. Dues excelled in all areas of cadet life, being ranked first among 991 cadets in his class for military performance.
He was cited for sacrifice, dedication, and sustained superior performance that earned him a coveted slot to Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training. He was one of 20 nationwide accepted into the Pardee Rand Graduate School and Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Later this year, the award will be presented to Lt. Dues in Washington, D.C., by a representative of the Air Force’s manpower and personnel directorate. He will be authorized the Air Force Recognition Ribbon, special trophies, and awards.