[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 154 (Friday, November 18, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S13341]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           AIR FORCE ACADEMY

  Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, in an era when college football players 
are almost universally derided as troublemakers, stories about football 
players who become leaders and role models off the field are indeed 
hard to find. One such leader currently exists at the U.S. Air Force 
Academy.
  Earlier this week the Air Force Academy announced that Andy Gray, a 
senior cadet, has been selected to take over as the commander of the 
entire 4,000-strong cadet wing next semester. In this position, Andy 
will serve as the chief liaison between the academy's leadership and 
the cadet student body, akin to a student body president.
  However, Andy is different than the average student body president. 
He has received extensive leadership training along with his fellow 
cadets. He has endured the rigorous cadet schedule of academics and 
military training. And, he has done it all while excelling as a member 
of the NCAA Division One Air Force Academy Falcon football team.
  Andy is only the sixth football player to be chosen for this 
leadership role, and the first in 16 years. The last academy athlete to 
serve as the cadet wing commander was Delavane Diaz who played 
volleyball for the Falcons in 2003.
  Andy Gray entered the academy in 2000 and played quarterback and 
defensive safety for much of his cadet career. In the fall of 2004, he 
was No. 1 on the depth chart as quarterback for the Falcons. This past 
season he played safety and had a big interception in the Air Force 
Academy's victory over UNLV.
  Becoming a cadet wing commander is not easy and requires candidates 
to go through a rigorous screening process. Only the top two cadets 
from each of the academy's 35 squadrons are nominated to be considered. 
Then the pool is narrowed to 20. Each of the surviving candidates is 
closely interviewed by a board that includes members of the academy's 
leadership.
  I commend Andy for his selection to be the academy's cadet wing 
commander. This selection is a real honor for him, and I know he will 
not take his new responsibilities lightly. I wish Andy the best as he 
takes up this important leadership position.
  I also applaud the academy's football coach, Fisher DeBerry, for 
being such an outstanding role model for cadets like Andy. Coach 
DeBerry is a man of character who, for over 22 years, has turned 
hundreds of cadets into leaders while running a top-notch football 
program. I look forward to seeing in the future many more Academy 
football players become leaders in our Air Force.

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