Photo By Senior Airman Jarrett Smith | U.S. Air Force student pilots from the 47th Student Squadron hold up their broken silver wings during the graduation ceremony of Class 26-16 at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, Aug. 27, 2026. The breaking of silver wings is a tradition dating back to the U.S. Army Air Corps, where a pilot's first wings are not to be worn but broken and given to a loved one. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jarrett Smith) see less
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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,sacrificeand 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’saircraftmaintainers and student pilotsparticipatedin 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 ceremonyproceededwith 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 ofproficiencyor training.
