Class 24-12 > Air Education and Training Command > Article Display

Fourteen U.S. Air Force officers were awarded the coveted silver wings as a symbol of their hard work and training during a graduation ceremony held July 12, 2024.  

Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) 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 24-12 graduation ceremony was retired Maj. Gen. Michael Fantini, who served as the Director of the Air Force Warfighting Integration Capability (AFWIC), Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategy, Integration and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. In this role, he led efforts in design, integration, and capability development for multi-domain concepts, enhancing Air Force lethality. A graduate of the Catholic University of America and commissioned through the ROTC program at Howard University, Fantini held various operational roles, including F-16 pilot and instructor. He commanded the 332nd Expeditionary Operations Group in Iraq and the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing in Afghanistan. He was also the Commander of Kandahar Airfield, responsible for its operational efficiency and defense. General Fantini is a command pilot with over 3,200 hours in the MQ-9, F-16, T-37, and T-38 aircraft. 

Receiving their pilot wings during the ceremony were: 

Capt. Brennan Jones 

1st Lt. Antonio Izquierdo 

1st Lt. McKenzie Mercer 

1st Lt. Brendan Reese 

2nd Lt. Fantini Annelise 

2nd Lt. Jacob Charneski 

2nd Lt. Chase Flemming 

2nd Lt. Colin Gilmore 

2nd Lt. Michael Gonzales 

2nd Lt. Zachary Hassel 

2nd Lt. Peter Jurlina 

2nd Lt. Jacob Lyons 

2nd Lt. Ian Mullins 

2nd Lt. Peter Rust 

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.  

“Military spouses are often said to ‘live in the shadows’,” said Lt. Col. Elizabeth Music, 47th Student Squadron commander. “Although not in uniform, spouses have an essential role to play and are the backbone of the military community. Tonight is about your pilots earning their wings, but also a recognition of you. Your love, sacrifice and ad nauseam quizzing of bold face procedures has not gone unnoticed.” 

The ceremony proceeded with the breaking of the wings, a tradition symbolizing the start of a new journey for the novice pilots. According to the 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.