Air Force Academy has 135 new graduates

YOGYAKARTA (JP): A total of 135 graduates from the Air Force Academy in Yogyakarta completed their three years of study on Wednesday and took an oath as new Air Force officers.

Indonesian Air Force Chief of Staff Air Marshal Hanafie Asnan led the ceremony and awarded the Adi Makayasa medal to the outstanding graduate of 2000, I Gede Agus Tirta Santosa of the Aeronautics Department.

With their graduation, study for the third grade cadets officially ended.

The 135 new Air Force officers, together with the graduates of the Military (Army) Academy, Navy Academy and Police Academy will be officially inaugurated by President Abdurrahman Wahid in Jakarta on Dec. 14.

The Air Force Academy's 2000 academic year had 149 third grade cadets in three departments, namely the Departments of Aeronautics, Electronics, and Industrial Management Engineering.

Only 135 passed the course. Nine cadets were returned to the second grade class, while the remaining five failed to complete the course, governor of the Air Force Academy Rear Marshal Suprihadi said.

Speaking at the ceremony, Hanafie Asnan said that for the past three consecutive years all of the graduating cadets had matured into intelligent, perceptive, reliable and skillful persons.

"It's now time to show what you have got, and that these characteristics have all blended within your identity as Indonesian Air Force officers," Hanafie said.

Hanafie also reminded the new graduates of the four requirements they had to fulfill in order to become good Air Force officers.

"They must become tough soldiers with high leadership capability, professionalism, and be willing to devote their lives to their fields of duty." (swa)