United States Air Force Academy Cadet Insignia

The cadet rank at the United States Air Force Academy is determined by two factors: class year and job. First year, or fourth-class, cadets (C4C) have only one rank; but as they progress through the Academy, their roles, responsibilities, and ranks increase, culminating in their senior year, where roles as an Assistant Shop Lead garner the rank of cadet first lieutenant (C/1Lt), while roles such as the Cadet Wing Commander (AFCW/CC), Cadet Vice Wing Commander (AFCW/CV), or Cadet Wing Director of Operations (AFCW/DO) are accorded the highest rank of cadet colonel.

The Wing Tripod which leads the Cadet Wing in parades consists of the Wing Commander (front, middle) flanked by the Vice Wing Commander (left) and the Wing Director of Operations (right).

Cadet Rank Insignia

Cadet Fourth Class - C4C (Freshman)		Cadet Third Class - C3C (Sophomore)
Cadet 4th Class	Cadet Airman	Cadet 3rd Class	Cadet Staff Sergeant
No insignia

Cadet Second Class - C2C (Junior)
Cadet 2nd Class	Cadet Technical Sergeant	Cadet Master Sergeant		Cadet Senior Master Sergeant		Cadet Chief Master Sergeant
Unranked	Group/Squadron Staff	Master Sergeant	Squadron First Sergeant	Senior Master Sergeant	Squadron Superintendent	Group Superintendent	Wing Command Chief

Cadet First Class - C1C (Senior)
Cadet 1st Class	Cadet 2nd Lieutenant	Cadet 1st Lieutenant	Cadet Captain
Unranked		Squadron Staff	Squadron Staff	Flight Commander
Cadet Major	Cadet Lieutenant Colonel
Group Staff	Wing Staff	Squadron Commander
Cadet Colonel
Wing Directors	Group Commander	Vice Wing Commander	Wing Commander

Former cadet ranks

Cadet Third Class - C3C (Sophomore)
Cadet Staff Sergeant Chief Clerk

Cadet Squadron Insignia

Current Cadet Squadrons

First Cadet Group
Cadet Sq. 1	Cadet Sq. 2	Cadet Sq. 3	Cadet Sq. 4	Cadet Sq. 5	Cadet Sq. 6	Cadet Sq. 7	Cadet Sq. 8	Cadet Sq. 9	Cadet Sq. 10
Mighty Mach One	Deuce	Dogs of War	Fightin' Fourth	Wolfpack	Bull Six	Shadow Seven	Eagle Eight	Viking Nine	Tiger Ten

Second Cadet Group
Cadet Sq. 11	Cadet Sq. 12	Cadet Sq. 13	Cadet Sq. 14	Cadet Sq. 15	Cadet Sq. 16	Cadet Sq. 17	Cadet Sq. 18	Cadet Sq. 19	Cadet Sq. 20
Rebeleven	Dirty Dozen	Bulldawgs	Cobras	War Eagles	Chicken Hawks	Stalag 17	Nightriders	Wolverines	Trolls

Third Cadet Group
Cadet Sq. 21	Cadet Sq. 22	Cadet Sq. 23	Cadet Sq. 24	Cadet Sq. 25	Cadet Sq. 26	Cadet Sq. 27	Cadet Sq. 28	Cadet Sq. 29	Cadet Sq. 30
Blackjack	Raptors	Barnstormers	Phantoms	Redeye	Barons	Thunderbirds	Blackbirds	Black Panthers	Knights

Fourth Cadet Group
Cadet Sq. 31	Cadet Sq. 32	Cadet Sq. 33	Cadet Sq. 34	Cadet Sq. 35	Cadet Sq. 36	Cadet Sq. 37	Cadet Sq. 38	Cadet Sq. 39	Cadet Sq. 40
Grim Reapers	Roadrunners	King Ratz (Cellar Ratz)	Loose Hawgs	Wild Weasels	Pink Panthers	Skyraiders	All-stars	Jedi Knights	Warhawks

Defunct Cadet Squadron Insignia

Defunct Squadron Insignia
Cadet Sq. 2		Cadet Sq. 3	Cadet Sq. 5		Cadet Sq. 8				Cadet Sq. 9
Deuce		Big 3 (Thirsty Third)	Wolfpack		Evil Eight				Viking Nine	Star Trek

Defunct Squadron Insignia (cont)
Cadet Sq. 14		Cadet Sq. 17	Cadet Sq. 19			Cadet Sq. 20	Cadet Sq. 23		Cadet Sq. 28
Cobras		Stalag 17	Playboy 19		Starship	Trolls	Barnstormers		Blackbirds

Defunct Squadron Insignia (cont)
Cadet Sq. 31		Cadet Sq. 34		Cadet Sq. 35		Cadet Sq. 37	Cadet Sq. 38	Cadet Sq. 39	Cadet Sq. 40
Grim Reapers		Thunderbolts/Razorbacks (Loose Hawgs)		Wild Weasels		Skyraiders	Bandits	Campus Rads	Ali Baba	Warhawks

Miscellaneous Insignia

Merit lists

Cadet merit list insignia are worn by those cadets who excel militarily (Commandant's List), academically (Dean's List), or athletically (Athletic Director's List). Cadets who earn a place on all three lists are awarded the insignia for the Superintendent's List.

Cadet Merit List Insignia
Commandant's List	Dean's List	Athletic Director's List	Commandant's & Dean's Lists	Commandant's & Athletic Director's Lists	Dean's & Athletic Director's Lists	Superintendent's List

Aviation

Cadet aviation insignia are worn by cadets who achieve certain milestones in their flight training.

Cadet Aviation Insignia
Unmanned Aerial Systems	Soaring/Powered Flight - Solo	Command Soaring Instructor Pilot	Cadet Aviation Instructor

Other qualifications

While at the Air Force Academy, cadets may earn other insignia including: parachute wings, for completion of either freefall parachute training at the Academy or the U.S. Army's Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia; the Air Assault Badge for completion of the U.S. Army's Air Assault program at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; or the Bulldog badge for the completion of the U.S. Marine Corps' "Bulldog" program^{[note 1]} at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.

Other Cadet Insignia
Parachute (jump) Wings	Air Assault Badge	Bulldog Badge

See also

• Cadet Wing Commander (AFCW/CC)
• Cadet Wing Director of Operations (AFCW/DO)
• United States Air Force Academy Cadet Wing
• United States Air Force Academy

Notes

1. A program to commission USAF Academy cadets into the Marine Corps after they graduate.

References

• Squadron Insignia of the United States Air Force Academy, P. Michael Sheridan, 1990. (ISBN 0-9627388-0-8)
• "Cadet Insignia/Badges". Contrails 1999-2000. Vol. 45. Air Force Academy, Colorado: United States Air Force Academy. 1999. pp. 279–283. LCCN 80640513.
• Contrails, various years.
• U.S. Air Force Academy, The Core of Cadet Life: Squadrons, https://www.usafa.edu/military/squadrons/ Retrieved 2021-09-08.