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It was supposed to be a joyous occasion, marking the commencement of a new and better phase in the life of nearly 1000 graduates. Instead, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told the 984 new lieutenants who are graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy to prepare for the worst: war.

On Wednesday night, Mattis spoke at the graduation ceremony on the campus outside Colorado Springs and told the 2018 graduates they must be ready to fight and win. The Pentagon chief also told the 60th class to graduate from the academy that they must maintain U.S. military superiority in the air, and urged them to make the Air Force better.

As the ceremony ended, the newly commissioned officers threw their white hats into the sky as the Air Force Thunderbirds roared overhead, a longstanding tradition. Of the nearly 1000 graduates, more than 400 are headed to pilot training, and 69 will be trained to operate drones.

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