Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Parent groups reach out to cadets from hurricane-struck Gulf CoastPublished Aug. 31, 2017
                    
                    By Ray Bowden
                    
                    
                    U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs
            **U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFNS) --**When Hurricane Harvey struck Texas, the North Texas Parent Club “got mobilized” and organized a dinner Sept. 1, 2017, at a Colorado Springs, Colorado restaurant for cadets from the Gulf Coast.
Hurricane Harvey, the largest rainstorm in the history of the continental U.S. according to some meteorologists, began pounding the region Aug. 26. It was downgraded to a tropical storm, but heavy rainfall again drubbed Texas and parts of Louisiana Aug. 30.
In all, 113 cadets at the Air Force Academy and six cadet candidates at the Prep School hail from the area.
Marie Nikovits, the Academy’s parent’s liaison, said, “We’re hoping parents open their homes to host cadets who can’t see their loved ones during Parents' Weekend.”
Parents' Weekend, Sept. 1-3, is one of the Academy’s most popular event for cadets and their families, second only to graduation, Nikovits said.
“Our parent groups recognize there’s a lot of cadets whose parents and relatives in the Gulf Coast region are at best, unable to travel to Colorado to see them, and at worst, dealing with the after effects of this hurricane,” she said.
Nikovits said parent clubs outside Texas and parents attending Parents Weekend are welcome to participate.
“They’re part of our team and judging from the phone calls, they’re really eager to help these cadets and families,” she said. “For our freshmen cadets, Parents' Weekend is the first real chance they get to see their families in months.”
Maj. Walter McMillen, the air operations commander for Cadet Squadron 22 and project officer for Parents' Weekend, said there’s been a “huge rallying cry” from cadets in his squadron for Cadet 2nd Class Ashley Cameron, who calls the Gulf Coast region home.
“Her parents won’t be here during Parents' Weekend and the other cadets in the squadron have reached out and invited her to spend time with their families,” he said. “Having your family here during the first relaxing weekend for many cadets is very special. They want to express their pride, especially the freshman cadets who just graduated basic training.”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, Hurricane Harvey is responsible for more than 22 deaths and displaced more than 30,000 people.Air Force Academy 



Air Force family 



Humanitarian 



Texas 



cadets 



Colorado Springs 



taking care of Airmen 



Gulf Coast 



North Texas Parent Club 



feeding families 



Hurricane Harvey Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF, CSAF, CMSAF begin Indo-Pacific trip focused on ACE
                    
                    DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fightInnovation
                F-16s arrive to be modified for autonomous testing
                    
                    AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalistsMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil