The newly confirmed Secretary of the Air Force will speak this year at the Air Force Academy’s graduation on May 29. 

Secretary Troy E. Meink was confirmed as the new secretary on May 16 and replaced Secretary Frank Kendall. 

The academy typically hosts graduation speakers on a four-year rotation that cycles through the president, vice president, secretary of defense and secretary of the Air Force. Last year, Vice President Kamala Harris was the commencement speaker.  

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Meink became an Air Force officer in 1988 and served as a KC-135 Tanker navigator and instructor. He was in over 100 sorties in support of multiple combat and humanitarian operations.

He also worked as a test engineer for ballistic missile test vehicles for the Missile Defense Agency.

As a civilian in the Air Force, Meink led communication teams within the Air Force and National Reconnaissance Office managing multiple next-generation joint research and development programs integrating global space capabilities, optical sensors, and advanced structures. He was most recently the NRO’s principal deputy director.

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The graduation ceremony is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 29. It is open to members of the public with tickets. Those tickets are available at the Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce on 2nd Street in Monument, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and the Colorado Springs Visitor Information Center, 515 S. Cascade Ave., Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.