Thunderbirds Pilot to Speak at Commissioning Ceremony Dec. 23

PULLMAN, Wash. — U.S. Air Force Maj. Kevin Mastin will return to Washington State University Saturday, Dec. 23, as speaker at the 10 a.m. Air Force ROTC commissioning ceremony in Carpenter Hall, Room 102.

Mastin, an 18-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force, completed a degree in communications at WSU in 1988 and received his commission. He had prior service with the Air Force before he was commissioned.

Mastin has been a member of the USAF Thunderbirds, the Air Force’s precision flying team, for two years. The unit is stationed at Nellis AFB near Las Vegas and performs more than 70 times a year in the United States, Canada and Europe.

Nine Air Force cadets from the joint WSU-University of Idaho ROTC program will receive their 2nd Lieutenant’s bars at the commissioning ceremony. They are Alice Blair, Fairbanks, Alaska; Ronald Clough, Boise, Idaho; Stephan Dehaas, Council, Idaho; Trace Dotson, Cheney; Brian Garrido, Pullman; Richard Giampiepri, Veradale; Mark Mekenas, Cannon Beach, Ore.; Michael Weller, Endicott; and Jason York, Baker City, Ore.

Nearly 170 Air Force cadets are enrolled in the Aerospace Studies program at WSU and Idaho. When commissioned as officers, they have a minimum four-year military commitment.

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