| Team, I have quite a bit of information to pass and updates continue to flow in by the hour. But first, I would like to share my thanks and praise for a few of our teammates: To our Air Base Wing, especially our Medical Group, Mental Health professionals, and public health experts, thank you for your dedication, expertise and the time you have put in to keep us informed so that we can all help stay the spread of this pandemic together. To our CW leadership and staff, especially the AOCs and AMTs, you are the first line in the care and accountability of our cadets. Thank you for your commitment to our cadets and for your leadership through this unprecedented moment in our Academy’s history. Finally, thank you to the Dean, and her faculty along with the Athletic Department and their team. You all are moving mountains to complete the mission and get the Class of 2020 to graduation! While I couldn’t name each organization here, please know that I am grateful for your assistance during this time, and that without each person on this base we would not have made it this far, with a chance to graduate our firsties on 18 April. As we focus on preventing the spread of COVID-19, remember to reach out and stay connected with the people in your life—at USAFA and beyond. The ways that we connect look different now, but are no less vital. Empathy and human interaction are critical through this crisis. Please look to the many USAFA Agencies to help promote Mental, Physical, and Spiritual Health: https://www.usafa.edu/helping- agencies/. For those who are amongst our cadets, you will notice that each squadron has embedded mental health professionals who are there for immediate assistance. In most cases these professionals are additional resources and our regular services through mental health, chaplains and the peak performance center continue without interruption. For those who are not mental health professionals, but still want to help, we have appropriate socially distanced activities available around the base, and many of you are already involved in these activities to promote resiliency for the cadets or USAFA as a whole. If you are interested in participating or leading any such activities, please contact Lt Col David Mays at the Center for Character and Leadership Development. We have found they provide just as much benefit for those leading as they do for the cadets. Also, please remember while we are physically distancing, we need to stay socially connected. I continue to be impressed by how so many teams, clubs and squadrons are learning ways to stay connected despite being physically apart. Keep it up! When deciding how much or how little to engage in actual work vs telework or participate in the voluntary leadership opportunities, please continue to do your own risk analysis. If you or a family member are at risk, please work with your leadership to find the best way to ensure your safety and continue to accomplish the mission from a distance or at home. If you are uncomfortable and concerned for your health or that of your family for any reason, speak up and we will adjust to ensure your safety. Part of this risk analysis is based on the constantly evolving advice of our medical professionals. For example, the Secretary of Defense published guidance regarding the wear of cloth face coverings yesterday. Effective immediately and to the maximum extent possible, the wear of cloth face coverings is required in situations when 6-foot spacing cannot be maintained. I have attached the OSD memo, and will provide further guidance and details on how this affects USAFA and our daily operations. I would like to point out that the reason masks must be worn within 6 feet is because social distance is still a priority. 6 feet is still the expectation. We must stay focused on the fact that our goal is to maintain a healthy base population and the best way to do that is social distance. Whether with Cadets or within your workplace, we must continue to focus on this distance. We want all of our permanent party, faculty, and families to remain healthy and we know each member of 2020 wants to be with us on the Terrazzo on 18 April. Speaking of commissioning and graduation, both events will take place on 18 April. The Class of 2020 will commission together at the graduation ceremony with an 18 Apr 2020 promotion date. The ceremony will take place on the Terrazzo (not at Falcon Stadium) and the area will be restricted to the personnel required for the ceremony. We will livestream the ceremony and information will be posted on the Official USAFA Graduation webpage: https://www.usafa.edu/graduation. We expect much of the Class of 2020 to depart under my authority after commissioning, but our dormitories will remain open for those who need a safe place to stay for a short period. Those who choose to stay will be subject to very similar rules as our Cadet population for health and safety but will remain separate to the maximum extent possible. Finally, our summer remains unknown. We have teams meeting regularly to define our requirements and create decision space for our critical summer programs. In that planning we must prioritize BCT, and an earlier graduation will allow us more options as we have more space in our dorms, more flexibility in the end of our semester, and more options to onboard the class of 2024. I know all are trying to look for answers regarding the next few months and we are working on it, but patience and flexibility in the face of COVID are going to be needed by all. Please remember to stick to the basics: keep six feet spacing, wear a mask as outlined, don’t come to work sick and check on each other. Stay healthy, help us get the Class of 2020 to graduation, and we will move forward into the summer together, Thanks, JS |