Air Force Academy graduation will feature Vice President JD Vance
The Air Force Academy announced that Vice President JD Vance will serve as the speaker for the academy’s commencement ceremony May 28 at Falcon Stadium.
Vance previously served as a U.S. senator from Ohio and is a Marine Corps veteran who served on active duty from 2003 to 2007.
The class of 2026 graduation marks the academy’s 68th commencement ceremony, where more than 900 cadets will commission as officers in the Air Force and Space Force, according to a news release from the academy. The Air Force Thunderbirds are scheduled to perform a flyover at the conclusion.
Last year, the Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink was the graduation speaker. The dignitaries who speak at the Air Force Academy’s graduation are on a four-year cycle and feature the president, vice president, secretary of the Air Force and secretary of defense, but it varies based on availability.
Vice President Kamala Harris spoke two years ago. President Joe Biden was the last president to speak at the academy graduation, delivering the commencement address in 2023.
The 9 a.m. ceremony will be open to ticket-holding members of the public. Tickets for the general public are available at the Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce and other area chambers of commerce and partner organizations.
“We just got 900 dropped off,” Tri-Lakes Chamber President & Ceo Terri Hayes said. “If you’re interested in getting any, they’re free to the public.”
Details on ticket distribution, base access, parking, and the full graduation week schedule are available at usafa.edu/graduation. The ceremony will also be livestreamed at usafa.edu/graduation and on the academy’s official YouTube channel.
Graduation week events run May 24–28, and include the graduation parade on Stillman Field, the Space Force patching ceremony, awards ceremonies, and the commencement ceremony. A full schedule is at usafa.edu/graduation.
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