USAF Academy Announces Distinguished Graduate Award

[Kori Ellis]

ACADEMY ANNOUNCES DISTINGUISHED GRADUATES

U.S AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – The U.S. Air Force Academy and the Academy’s Association of Graduates today announced the winners of the Academy’s 2007 Distinguished Graduate Award.

Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Ervin J. Rokke and Mr. Gregg Popovich earned this prestigious honor for their singular and distinctive contributions to society and the nation.

The Distinguished Graduate Award began in 2001 and is presented by the Superintendent of the Academy and the Chairman of the AOG to a USAFA graduate whose lifetime of achievement is of such significance as to set them apart from their contemporaries.

The purpose of the award is to:

-Recognize outstanding performance by graduates who have demonstrated a lifetime of service to the nation

-Favorably promote the Air Force Academy and its graduates

-Promote and increase awareness of graduate heritage among alumni and cadets

General Rokke graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1962. His professional career involved multiple assignments in the intelligence community, both in the U.S. and overseas, and included a tour of duty as the Dean of Faculty at USAFA. His last active duty position was president, National Defense University in Washington, D.C., before retiring July 1, 1997. Dr. Rokke currently serves as the Chair for Character and Leadership at the Air Force Academy. A full biography is located at: http://www.af.mil/bios/bio.asp?bioID=6961.

Mr. Gregg Popovich is a 1970 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He played basketball all four years at the Academy and served nine years on active duty using his degree in Soviet Studies while serving tours in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. He returned to the Academy to serve as assistant coach of the basketball team for six years before moving on to be a successful coach in the NBA. He is currently the Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations and Head Coach of the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs. A full biography is located at:
http://www.usabasketball.com/biosmen...ovich_bio.html.

[T Park]

Congrats to Pop.

This might be the first award that hes ever gotten that he accepts in person and is moved by.

Thank you for your service also Pop

[MoSpur]

Awesome!

[FromWayDowntown]

That's a wonderful honor for Pop. Well earned for a man who carries himself publicly with a great deal of humility and dignity.

[whottt]

That's a wonderful honor for Pop. Well earned for a man who carries himself publicly with a great deal of humility and dignity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHJT9LWoX1c

[FromWayDowntown]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHJT9LWoX1c

while keeping things in perspective and maintaining a good sense of humor.

[samikeyp]

[LilMissSPURfect]

Awesome!, whether he eats dirt or not!

[Summers]

Bad ass!

[Kori Ellis]

That's a wonderful honor for Pop. Well earned for a man who carries himself publicly with a great deal of humility and dignity.

I asked him about it last night in postgame. He was humble, as always, and called it "embarrassing" that he would receive the award considering what others have accomplished who've received it.

[T Park]

I asked him about it last night in postgame. He was humble, as always, and called it "embarrassing" that he would receive the award considering what others have accomplished who've received it.

The day he gets inducted into the hall of fame, is gonna be one of the worst speeches.

"I want to thank everyone, I dont know what Im doin here, I sucked horribly as a coach and got carried by duncan and Robinson, so why you oted me in here is beyond me."