On Aug. 19, U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Scott Portue, a 2004 Liberty High School graduate and mechanical engineering graduate of Colorado State University, finished his undergraduate pilot training at the 25th Flying Training Squadron at Vance AFB in Enid, Okla.

Scott’s wings were pinned on by his grandfather, Mel Portue. Scott received all three available awards: Distinguished Graduate for fighters, AETC Flying Training award for fighters, and the overall Commander’s Trophy. Scott has been assigned to fly the F-16 Viper/Fighting Falcon and will be based at Luke AFB in Phoenix, Ariz.

As a recipient of the Commander’s Trophy, Scott gained acceptance into the prestigious Order of the Daedalians, an organization that began in November of 1918 in World War I and was comprised of the first pilots to fly in our military in a time of war. Membership requires patriotism, integrity, good character, safety of flight and excellence in the performance of military duties.

– Contributed by Kent Portue