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Colorado Avalanche: Gabriel Landeskog Spends Day as Air Force Cadet

ByNadia Archuleta|
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, DECEMBER 16, 2004--On the grounds of the United States Air Force Academy north of Colorado Springs, the most recognizable landmark is not the shell of a bomber plane but a soaring white chapel built to glorify God. The football coach and the commandant are born-gain Christians who aren't afraid to say it. The base newspaper for years featured an ad signed by hundreds of staff and their families that stated, "We believe that Jesus Christ is the only real hope for the World." For decades, a strong evangelical Christian thread has run through the fabric of academy life, and no one much complained or minded. But the darker side of religion's place in the elite military academy has been exposed in the form of 55 complaints fielded over the past four years - Jewish cadets have been called "Christ-killers," cadets who skipped religious services marched back to their rooms in a "heathen flight" and non-Christians complain that Christians receive preferential treatment. To quell the problem, the academy next week (the week of Dec. 27) begins new religious sensitivity training for faculty and staff, an exercise that will be repeated for cadets when they return from winter break. (DENVER POST STAFF PHOTO BY GLENN ASAKAWA) (Photo By Glenn Asakawa/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, DECEMBER 16, 2004--On the grounds of the United States Air Force Academy north of Colorado Springs, the most recognizable landmark is not the shell of a bomber plane but a soaring white chapel built to glorify God. The football coach and the commandant are born-gain Christians who aren't afraid to say it. The base newspaper for years featured an ad signed by hundreds of staff and their families that stated, "We believe that Jesus Christ is the only real hope for the World." For decades, a strong evangelical Christian thread has run through the fabric of academy life, and no one much complained or minded. But the darker side of religion's place in the elite military academy has been exposed in the form of 55 complaints fielded over the past four years - Jewish cadets have been called "Christ-killers," cadets who skipped religious services marched back to their rooms in a "heathen flight" and non-Christians complain that Christians receive preferential treatment. To quell the problem, the academy next week (the week of Dec. 27) begins new religious sensitivity training for faculty and staff, an exercise that will be repeated for cadets when they return from winter break. (DENVER POST STAFF PHOTO BY GLENN ASAKAWA) (Photo By Glenn Asakawa/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog spent a day as an Air Force Academy cadet as public relations for the upcoming Stadium Series game.

As part of the hype for the upcoming Stadium Series game at Air Force Academy, the Colorado Avalanche’s captain, Gabriel Landeskog, visited the site. In fact, he didn’t just visit it — he spent the day as a cadet in the Air Force.

He started out by meeting Major Art Dulin at the 557th Flying Training Squad. Many of the cadets get their first crack at aviation at the training squad en route to becoming pilots.

The trainers had a flight suit ready for him, including with his name badge. Of course, our fashionable captain kept the collar popped up. Yeah, self-expression isn’t allowed in the military, so one of the trainers smoothed it out for him.

(Not for nothing, our captain looked pretty sharp as a pilot in his suit. Very Top Gun-esque. Except for the beard, of course, which the captain alluded to in the video.)

Next, he got to actually get into one of the planes and fiddle with the machinery — while it was on the ground, of course.

Naturally, Landeskog didn’t get to actually fly the plane. It doesn’t look like he got a ride in it either, which is a pity. However, he did get to accompany C1C Matthew Pulver — who’s also the captain of the Air Force Academy’s hockey team — to the flight simulation center.

There, Landeskog got the chance to work with some of the flight simulation equipment. The view from his simulator looked very realistic. The trainers didn’t think he did too badly, considering he didn’t crash.

Fun fact: Our captain apparently gets air sick, at least on those kinds of planes. He mentioned more than once that he worried about getting nauseated. I wonder if he has to take Dramamine before team flights. (I’d never thought about how miserable that part of the NHL job would be if your were prone to motion sickness.)

Finally, Gabe got to get into something he’s a lot more comfortable with — ice hockey. He donned the AFA team’s uniform and asked if there were tryouts — there weren’t any spots left, and there’s still that tricky facial hair issue.

Landeskog didn’t get to linger for too long in familiar territory. He was called on to… show his bravery? His final stop was at the swimming pool in the facility. Apparently cadets must leap from the 10-meter diving board into the pool at least once before they graduate from the Academy.

Landy acted trepidatious, but he went for it with flaily aplomb.

I don’t know about that form, but props for doing it!

Here’s the whole sequence of his day as a cadet:

The Colorado Avalanche host the LA Kings on February 15 for the Stadium Series game. Tickets are still available, as are $20 parking passes.

What’s more, the team has released details of the pregame festivities, which will take place in Falcon Alley from 1 pm to 5:30 pm MST. Highlights of the pregame include hockey-themed games and activities, contests, the Stanley Cup on display, and a museum of Olympic history.

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