COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Seventeen Undergraduate Pilot Training student pilots of Class 25-05, graduated on February 14, 2025, at the Columbus Event Center on Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. The UPT graduation ceremony officially marks the completion of initial flight training in the T-6 Texan II as students earn their wings and begin the next phase of advanced pilot training for the Air Force’s newest pilots.
Pilots advance to graduate training in one of two new programs: Air Mobility Fundamentals, or Fighter/Bomber Fundamentals. These new programs, like UPT, capitalize on and incorporate modern training tools and methods that provide a unique advantage through innovation.
AMF currently leverages the “Mid-Tier Device,” a simulator that replicates the T-1A Jayhawk, to prepare graduates for mobility or tanker platforms. The Air Force’s first-ever F/BF class began at CAFB in June 2023. The new program both combines and streamlines legacy T-38 Graduate Pilot Training and T-38 Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals into a unified syllabus for graduates continuing to fighter or bomber platforms.
The Class 25-05 graduation speaker was Col. Jason R. Herring, the Commander at 621st Contingency Response Wing (CRW), Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, which is the nation’s only Contingency Response Wing. With a force of 1,580 Airmen, the wing focuses on advising partner nations, airbase openings, joint partner integration, and theater-wide command and control. Commissioned in 1999 through ROTC at the University of Virginia, Col. Herring previously commanded the 435th Contingency Response Squadron in Germany and served as Vice Wing Commander of the 100th Air Refueling Wing at RAF Mildenhall. A command pilot with over 3,800 flight hours, including 1,150 in combat, he has supported Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM.
Students are also recognized with additional accolades through academic and professional military achievement such as: Order of Daedalians AETC Commander’s Trophy, Distinguished Graduate Award, Academic Award, Military Training Award and Flying Training Award.
CLASS 25-05 Graduates
2d Lt Faisal F. Al Qahtani (International Training Award)
2d Lt Eva M. Burke
2d Lt Jacob P. Bailey
2d Lt Jack A. Charbonneau
2d Lt Elijah A. Brant
2d Lt William W. Curtis
2d Lt Preston Y. Durocher
Capt Arthur A. Hafliger (Military Training Award)
2d Lt Michael P. Eiler
2d Lt Andrew J. Hartnett
2d Lt Michael G. Forcino
2d Lt Braden W. Heap
Capt Jared L. Holsclaw (Air Education and Training Command Commanders Trophy, Distinguished Graduate Award)
2d Lt Adam L. Nicodemus
2d Lt Shane J. Lintereur
2d Lt Anthony R. Robinson
2d Lt Matthew S. Nelson (Academic Excellence, Flying Training Award)