What’s in those hats? A look at an Air Force Academy tradition
Arguably the most iconic moment of Air Force Academy graduation day happens when the new grads are dismissed; they celebrate by throwing their hats in the air at the precise moment of the first the thunderbird flyover.
You might be wondering: what happens to the hats after this moment?
Most of the hats are actually picked up by kids who rush onto the field after the hats are thrown. Hundreds of kids grab the hats to take them home.
In years past, many of the grads also put notes of inspiration or even money inside the hats. For the class of 2018, most graduates left 20 dollars and 18 cents in their caps, to honor the Class of 2018.
