Most newly minted Air Force Academy officers celebrated their high school graduations online and in living rooms because of the pandemic — so Thursday’s Air Force Academy graduation ceremony was an emotional day for their families who sported signs, banners, buttons and T-shirts branded with cadets’ faces.

The cadets of the Class of 2024 began their academic careers during one of the most uncertain times in recent history, only mere months after the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020. During their first semester as cadets, the class also faced strict isolation restrictions and completed their physical training with masks.

Lt. Gen. Richard Clark relayed his experiences with the Class of 2024 during lockdown amid his opening remarks at the Thursday morning ceremony, reminiscing on the nights he personally spent in cadet housing alongside his dog, Cairo, playing board games, and spending time with the class as they quarantined.

Anjee Deards carried a sign featuring her daughter, 2nd Lt. Elizabeth Deards, alongside the multitude of other family members who came from across the country to attend the ceremony.

Carrying a vibrant military history on both sides of her family, Deards told The Gazette her daughter follows a lineage of pilots. Her maternal grandfather flew C-5s and her great grandfather piloted B-17s. Her maternal great-grandfather was part of the “bloody hundred,” and her paternal grandfather served during the WWII with the Royal Air Force.

Deards said while the pandemic posed challenges for her daughter, including long stretches of isolation and not being able to go home for her first Thanksgiving or Christmas break, the confidence she saw her daughter gain during her time at AFA is “amazing.”

“She (Elizabeth) was on lockdown a lot. She got COVID twice during her freshman year, so she was having to quarantine a bunch, and that was really rough,” Dreads said.

“But she’s made so many amazing friends for life. I think that as horrible as it (COVID-19) could be to go through at the time they did, I think it really bonded them in a special way.”

Bert Estes said his son Gregory Estes’ graduation from high school was celebrated in their living room at home, lending weight to Thursday’s events.

“This is the first time we are really celebrating him,” he said.

Gregory Estes is following his dad and many other family members into the service although the older generations served in the Army. While West Point accepted Gregory as well, he chose the Air Force Academy.

Dianne and Rob Crawford, parents of 2nd Lt. Andrew Crawford were seen sporting leis as they celebrated their son and his upcoming assignment to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickman in Hawaii.

The couple said Crawford will be working as a financial management officer after graduating at the top of his class.

Although he found success during his four years at the academy, in the classroom and through lasting friendships, Dianne Crawford said her son’s wins were not without his fair share of struggles too.

“When they (the cadets) first got here, they had to go right into quarantine for two weeks. I wrote him a letter every single day without fail, and we got quite a few letters back,” Dianne Crawford said. “The first time we Facetimed, he actually had the stack of letters from us and all of his friends. He kept every single one.”

Although Crawford will be “starting fresh” once again as he ventures to Hawaii, the couple expressed their excitement in their son’s Air Force career.

“He said to me the other day, ‘Mom I’m doing it again, I’m going somewhere where I’ll know nobody,’ but I  know he can do that. It’s in him and he’ll be good,” Dianne Crawford said.

After 974 graduates crossed the stage for their diplomas, the class of 2024 commissioned into the Air Force Service. The anthem played, the caps were tossed and the Thunderbirds flew in formation overhead as the AFA 2024 graduates closed one chapter of life and headed on to the next.

“This is unreal, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry right now,” 2nd Lt. Victoria Salvadore said, diploma in hand.

“There’s not a doubt in my mind that this was all worth it.”

2nd Lt. Jimmy Hebenstreit, who’s heading to pilot training, said it’s “crazy looking back” on his time at the academy and thinking about his freshman self.

“Words can’t describe how I’m feeling right now, I’m pumped,” Hebenstreit said.

“It’s crazy looking back from freshman year until now. It just has me thinking, you never know what the future holds. I’m happy I stuck with it.”

Gazette reporter Mary Shinn contributed to this story.