The 63rd Officer Candidate Wing Association was formed by the last four classes (63A, 63B, 63C, 63D) of the USAF Officer Candidate School. In 1948 the United States Air Force graduated its first Officer Candidate School class. Since that time, until the last class graduated in June of 1963, over 12,000 enlisted men and women entered the program looking to exchange their enlisted stripes for officer bars. The Association objectives are as follows:
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- To memorialize the United States Air Force Officer Candidate School (OCS)
- To record the history of the Officer Candidate School classes
- To record the experiences of those individuals who attended OCS
- To memorialize those who attended OCS and gave their lives in the defense of the United States
- To establish and maintain a means of communication between and among individuals/classes that attended OCS
- To seek and engage opportunities that allow for improved careers of qualified USAF enlisted members through entrance into the AF Officer Corps.
One of our initial efforts to support the above objectives was the establishment of a reunion cycle for the 63rd OC Wing of every three years, starting with Colorado Springs in 2005. We have placed OCS Memorial benches on Lackland AFB, Texas. We are continuing discussions with AETC on establishing a permanent OCS historical display at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. We would hope at some time in the future to encourage other AF OCS classes to join with us in the above goals, reunions, and projects.
Each of the individuals attending OCS, at their enlistment, stated:
I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.
Each of those graduating furthered that commitment by swearing:
I, (name), having been appointed a Second Lieutenant, United States Air Force, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States, against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter, so help me God.
As you wander through these pages you will see that each lived up to those promises and continue to do so. They were and are committed to their God, their Country, and their Comrades. Some gave their lives in fulfilling that commitment – they will never be forgotten. For those who were members of those classes, this website brings them together again, to see what each accomplished during and after their service and what they are doing currently. The site will depict other activities such as reunions, “war” stories, and facts about the classes and their members.
