Notable Alumni of United States Air Force Academy

Rumen Radev 1963–

Prime Minister of Bulgaria, former president

Martha McSally 1966–

Former Arizona US senator and military pilot

Master of Science · Class of 1988

Also attended: Harvard University

David Perdue 1949–

14th US ambassador to China, businessman

Attended until 1969

Also attended: Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus

Jody Powell 1943–2009

White House press secretary under Jimmy Carter

Also attended: Emory University, Georgia State University

Paul J. Selva 1958–

10th Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Jacqueline Van Ovost 1965–

Retired Air Force general, former TRANSCOM commander

Also attended: California State University--Fresno

Frank Gorenc 1957–

Retired US Air Force four-star general

Kelly Flinn incident 1970–

First female B-52 pilot in the US Air Force

Heather Wilson 1960–

Former U.S. Air Force Secretary, president of UTEP

Bachelor of Science · Class of 1982

Scott Kirby 1967–

CEO of United Airlines

Bachelor of Science · Computer science · Class of 1989

Also attended: George Washington University

Stephen Bienko 1979–

Co-founder and CEO of The 42U

Also attended: Villanova University

Susan J. Helms 1958–

Retired Air Force lieutenant general and NASA astronaut

Also attended: Stanford University

Steven Lindsey 1960–

Former NASA astronaut and Chief of Astronaut Office

Eric Boe 1964–

NASA astronaut and former Air Force pilot

Also attended: Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus

Frederick D. Gregory 1941–

Astronaut and former NASA deputy administrator

Also attended: George Washington University

Kjell Lindgren 1973–

NASA astronaut and surgeon

Bachelor of Science · Biology

Also attended: Colorado State University-Fort Collins, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

Terry W. Virts 1967–

Retired NASA astronaut and ISS commander

Also attended: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide

Gregory H. Johnson 1962–

Former NASA astronaut and retired Air Force colonel

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Karol J. Bobko 1937–2023

NASA astronaut and Air Force officer

Bachelor of Science

Also attended: University of Southern California

Nick Hague 1975–

NASA astronaut and Space Force brigadier general

Bachelor of Science · Astronautical engineering

Richard O. Covey 1946–

Former NASA astronaut and retired Air Force officer

Also attended: Purdue University-Main Campus

Curtis Brown 1956–

Former NASA astronaut and retired Air Force colonel

Grady Booch 1955–

Software engineer, co-developer of UML

Also attended: University of California-Santa Barbara

Loren Shriver 1944–

Former NASA astronaut and retired Air Force colonel

Also attended: Purdue University-Main Campus

James D. Halsell 1956–

Former NASA astronaut and Air Force officer

Alvin Drew 1962–

Former NASA astronaut and Air Force officer

Also attended: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide

James Dutton 1968–

Former NASA astronaut and Air Force test pilot

Also attended: University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Nichole Ayers 1988–

NASA astronaut and US Air Force lieutenant colonel

Also attended: Rice University

Eric Hanushek 1943–

Economist focused on economics of education

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

John E. Blaha 1942–

NASA astronaut with five space missions

Also attended: Purdue University-Main Campus

Michael J. Bloomfield 1959–

Astronaut, veteran of three Space Shuttle missions

Also attended: Old Dominion University

Raja Chari 1977–

NASA astronaut and test pilot

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

John Casper 1943–

Former astronaut and Air Force pilot

Also attended: Purdue University-Main Campus

Sidney M. Gutierrez 1951–

Former NASA astronaut and USAF colonel

Also attended: Webster University

Ronald J. Grabe 1945–

Former NASA astronaut and retired Air Force colonel

Jack D. Fischer 1974–

Former NASA astronaut and test pilot

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

William G. Gregory 1957–

Retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and NASA astronaut

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

James M. Kelly 1964–

NASA astronaut and retired Air Force colonel

Also attended: The University of Alabama

Brian Duffy 1953–

Retired Air Force colonel and NASA astronaut

Also attended: University of Southern California

Clarence Gilyard 1955–2022

Actor and educator

Also attended: California State University-Dominguez Hills, California State University--Long Beach, Sterling College

Gregg Popovich 1949–

Former Spurs head coach, five-time NBA champion

Alonzo Babers 1961–

Two-time gold medalist at 1984 Olympics

Paul Skenes 2002–

Pittsburgh Pirates MLB pitcher

Attended until 2022

Also attended: Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

Matt Mooney 1995–

Professional basketball player

Attended until 2015

Also attended: University of South Dakota, Texas Tech University

Jared Dillinger 1984–

Former Philippine Basketball Association player

Also attended: University of Hawaii at Manoa

Jamil Walker 1981–

Retired American MLS soccer forward

Also attended: Santa Clara University

Thomas Schneeberger 1956–

Handball player at the 1984 Olympics

Wyatt Hendrickson 2001–

Wrestler and RAF Heavyweight Champion

Attended until 2024

Also attended: Oklahoma State University-Main Campus

Dan Nwaelele 1984–

Professional basketball player

Attended until 2007

Rich Cullen 1975–

Retired American soccer goalkeeper and coach

David Higgins 1994–

Sports shooter who competed at the 2016 Olympics

Chris Carter 1992–

Basketball player

Bryce Fisher 1977–

Former NFL defensive lineman

David DeGraaf 1971–

Handball player at the 1996 Olympics

Also attended: Calvin University

Jacob Burtschi 1984–

American basketball player

Kevin Durr 1991–

American soccer player

Karen Burton 1962–

Long-distance and open water swimmer

Asher Clark 1990–

Air Force Academy college football running back

Jon Robinson 1976–

Football executive, formerly with the Patriots

Chesley Sullenberger 1951–

Captain of US Airways Flight 1549 Hudson River landing

Bachelor of Science

Also attended: University of Northern Colorado, Purdue University-Main Campus