# @af_academy on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DdthGJEjDtQ
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/70933686-af-academy-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/0ca4d9829b.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-09-25T13:00:09.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** U.S. Air Force Academy (@af_academy) — https://gondola.cc/af_academy

## Caption

Meet C1C Grace Buettner from Nashville, Tennessee.
 
Grace chose #USAFA for the opportunity to be part of a community that shared her values and would challenge her to become the best officer she could be.
 
A Political Science major with a Chinese minor, Grace will commission into the usairforce as a pilot after graduation. An incentive ride at Nellis Air Force Base solidified that goal as she experienced tactical flying and observed firsthand how pilots make decisions under physical demands.
 
Experiences that helped shape her development include:
🫡 𝐁𝐂𝐓 𝐅𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐝𝐫𝐞. Learned to balance caring for basic cadets while accomplishing the mission.
🎭 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐞. Performed in six shows, building confidence and learning to think on her feet.
🇹🇼 𝐂𝐒𝐋𝐈𝐏. Traveled to Taiwan for the Cadet Summer Language Immersion Program while studying Chinese.

Grace also worked with the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, gaining insight into how policymaking can affect military members and national security.
 
“𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.”
 
#FirstieFriday #USAFA2027 #AllEarnedNothingGiven #CadetLife

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## Tags

firstiefriday, usafa, usafa2027, cadetlife, allearnednothinggiven

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