The big day was finally here. Graduation day for the newest group of Air Force pilots. Casey enjoyed her last few days off as her classmates finished training. She spent every night at Kathryn’s house and she’d gotten her new squadron patches sewn on her flight suits—the Boxing Bunny of the 96th Flying Training Squadron. This was a unit with a long, proud history and she couldn’t wait to go back and fly the mighty Tweet.
“There’s something I want you to see before we go over to the graduation ceremony.”
“Great, what is it, Kathryn?”
“You’ll see.” They hopped into her red convertible and drove over to base operations.
“Hard-Ass! How are you?” A very cute blonde ran over to Kathryn and threw her arms around her.
“Mary, I’m so happy to see you. This is Casey Tompkins, who is graduating today. Casey, this is Mary Morrison, one of my former students and the aircraft commander of this beauty.”
“You guys want to see my plane? Come on. Did you tell Casey your news?”
Casey turned to Kathryn. “No, she didn’t. What news is that?”
They walked outside to the ramp. “Check out my new ride.” Kathryn pointed to an enormous KC-10 aircraft parked right in front of them. “I’ll be flying this in the Air Force Reserve at March Air Force Base.”
“What? That’s amazing. This plane is so huge.”
Mary gave them the deluxe tour of the massive three-engine jet from the flight deck with at least a thousand dials and buttons, through the cavernous interior, to the boom operator’s station in the back.
“This plane weighs over half a million pounds, carries fifty thousand gallons of fuel, can fly over twenty-five hours, and can receive gas from another tanker.” The size and capabilities were awe-inspiring.
“Thanks for the tour, Mary. See you at March in a few weeks,” Kathryn said.
*****
“I can’t believe you’re going to fly the KC-10 in the Reserves. I’m so happy for you, Kathryn.”
“It won’t be easy. I’ll be in training while you’re at instructor school and I’ll have to go to March to fly, but I think we can work it out. I’ll work on an airline job after I’m through with training.” She pulled Casey into a kiss. “Hey, we have a graduation to get to, Captain.”
After an entire year of constant study, near-death flying experiences, and the hardest work Casey had ever put into anything in her life, today she would pin on the silver wings of a real Air Force pilot. She could hardly believe she’d actually made it.
They both put on their dress blue uniforms with all the medals. “Kathryn, I want you to pin on my wings.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I don’t think I would have made it to this day without you.”
“I’d be honored to, Casey.”
The base theater was filled with family, friends, IPs, and students as the graduating class took their seats at the front. They all stood for “The Star Spangled Banner,” then a visiting general gave a speech, then they asked all the IPs to stand. Casey looked for Kathryn, and her class stood in ovation to their instructors. The wing commander made some remarks, then the class commander called up the new pilots to get their wings and diplomas.
As each person was called, they projected a picture of the pilot next to a picture of their new airplane. Casey looked very dashing in her picture standing on the ladder of her T-38 holding her helmet and wearing her G-suit with a picture of a T-37 next to her. When they called her name, she stood up to her full height, held her shoulders back, and marched up to the stage. This was the moment she’d dreamed about for years, the achievement of her lifetime.
The wing commander said, “Congratulations, Casey. I’m so glad you’ll be staying with us at Willie.”
“Thank you, sir.” She saluted, marched off the stage, and looked for the face that meant more than anything to her. Kathryn stood and applauded with a huge grin on her face. Kathryn’s look of sheer happiness was the icing on the cake to this amazing day. After everyone got their wings, the entire group stood up and sang a rousing version of “The US Air Force Song.”
Casey went outside to see Kathryn, Bulldog, Merrilee, Barb, Trish, and Rhonda waiting for her.
“Captain, you’re out of uniform. Let’s get those wings on!” Bulldog said.
Casey handed her new wings to Kathryn so she could pin them on.
“No, those are the wings you have to break first,” Bulldog explained.
“What do you mean?” Casey asked.
“The Air Force tradition is that you have to break the first wings you are ever given. This is so you will always have good luck in the sky when you fly. Then we pin on your real wings,” Barb explained.
“But I don’t have any other wings.”
“I have your wings, Casey. These are my first wings,” Kathryn said.
Casey was speechless. Kathryn was passing on her very own wings to her. She was humbled and overwhelmed.
“You have to break these new ones first and keep the two halves forever.” Kathryn handed her the new wings back.
“I sure will,” Casey said as she broke the first wings.
Kathryn gently put her hands on Casey’s shoulders and turned her to face her. She opened a small box and took out her own first set of wings. She reached up to the area of Casey’s dress blue jacket, just above the rows of medals. Casey felt the warmth of Kathryn’s hands through her uniform shirt as Kathryn pinned on her wings. The wings felt substantial on her uniform jacket, and she understood the full weight of responsibility she now had.
“Captain Tompkins, I am honored to present you with your wings. You are now officially an Air Force pilot.” Kathryn saluted her, Casey returned the salute, and they smiled, and hugged each other for a long time.
“I’m so proud of you, Casey, and I love you so much,” Kathryn said into her ear.
“I love you too, Kathryn, to the stars and back.”