The Cadet Summer Experience: Tyler Jones
9/24/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Photo Gallery During the summer, Air Force Academy cadets have a variety of options available to them. Tyler Jones of Air Force baseball had a busy summer prior to his junior year. The outfielder spent his summer playing baseball in the Northwoods Wood Bat League, participating in Operation Air Force and working as a cadet instructor during the Academy's summer training period.
Jones is a two-year starter in left field for Falcon baseball. As a freshman, Jones earned Freshman All-American and Mountain West All-Conference honors, as he batted .338 with 66 hits and 19 doubles for the Falcons. As a sophomore, the Coppell, Texas, native batted .301 with six home runs and 41 RBIs.
Summer's for Air Force Academy cadets are broken up into three different periods, with cadets being allowed to use one of the periods to take leave. Jones used his leave period for the opportunity to play summer baseball in the Northwoods League for the Eau Claire Express in Eau Claire, Wis. It was his second-straight summer playing for the Express. At Eau Claire, Jones was able to play for three weeks with current Air Force teammate, junior pitcher Griffin Jax and his high school teammate, Jeremy Mortensen, who is a pitcher at Army West Point. Jones was quite enthusiastic when reflecting on his time playing for the Eau Claire Express.
"Summer baseball has been an amazing experience the past two summers playing in the Northwoods League," Jones said. "The combination of playing extra baseball and representing the Academy is truly a remarkable experience. Eau Claire is a wonderful place and they have been gracious hosts, especially to cadet-athletes like myself. It is pretty cool getting to salute the flag when the National Anthem plays when the rest of your teammates do not get the same opportunity. Being from the Academy, you are like a local celebrity because people want to know what it's like to go to the Academy and respect that you represent something bigger than yourself. Over the past two years, I have done several interviews, had newspaper articles written about my life as a cadet, etc, which really brings a positive light to the Academy in addition to the fact that I get to play three extra weeks of baseball. It can't be beat."
For Jones' second three-week period of summer, he participated in Operation Air Force at Luke AFB, Arizona, along with teammate Jax. Operation Air Force, or OPS AF, is a chance for the Academy cadets to gain a first-hand experience of the working Air Force. At Luke AFB, the highlight for Jones was an F-16 ride.
"During second period, teammate Griffin Jax and I went to Luke AFB in the Phoenix, Ariz., area for OPS Air Force," Jones said. This program allowed us to see what life was like in different career fields in the Air Force, allowing us to make a better decision on what we want to do once we graduate. While I was there, I was able to score an F-16 ride. I can confidently say that this is the coolest thing I have done in my life to this point. The mission I was on was a one-on-one dogfight, exactly like you would see in a movie like "Top Gun". The F-16 pulled nine G's, which is nine times the force of gravity; this essentially means that I had 1800 lbs of pressure on me at that point. While it was exhausting and even sickening at some points, I would do it 100 more times if I got the chance. This experience inspired me to want to be a pilot once I graduate. It was a truly life-changing experience."
For his final summer period, Jones was a cadet instructor, or cadre, at the Academy's Expeditionary Survival and Evasion Training (ESET) which teaches combat skills to include weapons, convoy, chemical and biological, survival and evasion training.
"For my leadership experience this summer, I was an ESET CATM Cadre," Jones said. "This means that I instructed the ESET students on how to safely handle, fire, and clean both the M16 (rifle) and the M9 (pistol). Having very little background with either of these guns, it was a very unique experience as I had to learn very quickly. After about four hours of training in the morning, the students then fire both weapons systems in the afternoon. Knowing that the only knowledge that most of the students have about these weapons systems is what you taught them can be a very scary thought. Obviously, safety was our number one priority. "
Information regarding OPS AF was obtained from the Air Force Academy Admissions website. For more information, log onto:
http://www.academyadmissions.com/about-the-academy/faq/cadet-life-and-recreation-faq/
