Families, supporters cheer on AFA grads

The last few days have been somewhat of a family reunion for the Parker family, who came from across the world to see one guy — brother, cousin and son — graduate Wednesday from the Air Force Academy.

In total, 26 relatives stood in the stands of Falcon Stadium in support of 2nd Lt. Grant Parker. Twenty-one of them stayed together in a rental home. They came from Indiana, Texas, California, Tennessee and further.

It was worth the 24-hour trip for Dirk Rhinehart, who flew from Germany to see his cousin graduate.

“We just want to be here to support him and celebrate with him,” Rhinehart said.

Having so many family members in the stands was “just awesome,” said Tom Parker, father of Grant Parker. Family support — in the form of e-mails, phone calls and prayers — has been instrumental in his son’s time at the academy, he said.

“I can’t describe it — that much support and love,” Tom Parker said. “These kids need it. … Probably only those that have gone here can explain how hard it is to graduate here.”

The Parker family was among hundreds that came out to support the 1,001 graduates of the Air Force Academy class of 2010.

Red hatters
In the rows of seats at Falcon Stadium, one group stood out from afar.

The 22 people wore red hats emblazoned with the words “Lt. Booze.”

“My daughter is now Lt. Booze,” said Lynne Monson of her daughter, 2nd Lt. Meghan Booze, in between cheers.
“So if she can see us, we just thought we’d surprise her. She didn’t know about it, so I don’t know what her reaction’s going to be.”

Seeing her daughter graduate from the academy was “wonderful,” Monson said.

“It’s such an accomplishment,” she said. “I don’t think people understand what this place means and how hard they work.”

The guy who started it

Jack Bender, III, didn’t have a son or daughter graduating Wednesday. But he was pleased to be invited by 2nd Lt. Andrea Brichacek.

Dressed in his Air Force uniform, Bender sat next to Brichacek’s family in the stands.

“I get to put on my uniform and come watch,” he said.

A retired Air Force colonel, Bender is now an academy liaison officer who evaluates potential cadets.

He came “on his own nickel” from Wichita, Kan., for Wednesday’s graduation, which was only the second he’s attended. Even as a liaison, Bender said he doesn’t typically get invited.

“I hope I don’t cry,” Bender said. “I’m known to get emotional, even at the time that I present them their appointments.”

The payoff

In the three-and-a-half years 2nd Lt. Zach Landecker and his girlfriend Abbie Kraemer have been together, the academy has been his first priority, Kraemer said.

His dedication to the academy, which means “everything” to him, has meant seeing each other mostly on weekends and at times having to cancel plans.

“That’s probably the hardest part,” said Kraemer, who will be a senior at University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in the fall.

But sitting in the front row of the stadium Wednesday, Kraemer said it was all worth it to see him graduate.

“All the time that he was away from me or, you know, he missed out on something special because he had a commitment here … now it seems all worth it,” she said. “He worked so hard and he was so dedicated to it and it really paid off. It was all worth it.”

Like a dream
Second Lt. Helen “Meghan” Wildner never pictured herself going into the military.

Neither did her family.

“My parents were like, ‘What?’” Wildner said.

It was her former swimming coach, who had been in the military himself, that suggested the idea to her. Now, four years later and after she crossed the stage at graduatiom, Wildner calls attending the academy one of the best decisions she ever made.

“(Graduating) is weird; it’s surreal; it’s like a dream,” she said. “It’s like Christmas morning. … We’ve been waiting so, so long for this.”

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