Photos: Getting screamed at, Air Force initiation style

Thursday was the day that the new basic cadets of the class of 2013 showed up for their first day at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. The academy attracts more than a million visitors a year, many of whom come to see its famous chapel.

On Thursday, more than 1,300 new basic cadets arrived. They spent the day saying good-bye to their parents, getting fitted for new boots, getting their hair cut, and getting yelled at for the smallest things.

During the course of the day, more than 1,300 basic cadets signed in, said good-bye to their parents, and then got on the bus that would take them away to their official initiation.

Before they boarded the bus, though, they had to wait in line, staring straight ahead, not talking and not smiling.

On board the bus, the basic cadets seemed extremely somber and serious. Some looked scared. Some got off only to turn right back around.

Their Air Force experience began on the bus. From the minute they stepped aboard, the cadre of returning cadets barked commands at them, making it clear that the game was truly on.

During in-processing, as the basic cadets' initiation is called, it's best to blend in and not have any attention drawn to you.

This basic cadet was said to have boasted that he would be the first man on Mars and that the Air Force Academy would be just a stepping stone to that achievement. The cadre of returning cadets used that against him, ganging up on him and screaming at him for several minutes.

The basic cadets' official Air Force experience began when they climbed these stairs to fill out paperwork. They had to say good-bye to their parents first, and after going up the stairs, no one except Air Force personnel could speak to them.

All the male basic cadets had to have their heads shaved. Many arrived at the Academy with their hair already short, but not everyone. This new arrival sat down for his shaving, looking grim and serious.

This is the same cadet after having his head shaved.

This basic cadet is sure to be remembered for a long time by everyone who was on hand at the academy for the in-processing of the class of 2013. He arrived carrying a giant box, which he would then have to carry with him all day long, as basic cadets have to take their belongings with them everywhere they go on their first day.

One of the senior cadets screamed at him upon his arrival, yelling as he asked, "What's in there, your Xbox and your TV?"

As he walked away, following his fellow basic cadets, Box boy got a good dose of being screamed at. The general sentiment was, "Are you kidding me?"

Among the basic cadets who arrived to join the class of 2013 were these three: Twin sisters Catherine (right) and Irene Joyce and their first-cousin, Molly Bush (left).

One after another, groups of basic cadets arrived, were told how they were to stand when at attention and what their seven basic responses to questions are, yelled at and then told to hurry up and head up this ramp for further processing.

The returning cadets looked for any reason to single a basic cadet out in order to scream at them. This woman got off the bus and ended up dragging her boots on the ground as she walked. She was quickly pulled aside and yelled at.

It would only be seconds after they got off the bus that the basic cadets were met by a cadre of veteran cadets ready to scream at them over the smallest infractions.

Among the many things the new basic cadets had to learn was how to stand. They were led onto a giant mat covered in pre-printed footprints. The idea is that they were to keep their feet at 22.5 degree angles off of their head, meaning that their feet were at a 45 degree angle.

"Congratulations, you're now in the Air Force." Those were the words each new basic cadet heard after standing and taking an oath, similar to the oath new public officials take, agreeing to uphold the Constitution and much more.

Each incoming basic cadet, after getting his or her uniform, stopped and was given their name tag, which would then be sewed onto their uniform.

The basic cadets were also given new boots, and new athletic shoes. Here, three of the new arrivals put on their boots for the first time. They were instructed, as with almost every other aspect of their new Air Force experience on how exactly to tie their bootlaces.

Each basic cadet was given a checklist of the things they had to be sure to remember to bring with them.

All 1,300-plus new basic cadets had to go through a series of steps during their first day at the Air Force Academy. Among them was getting all the different parts of the new wardrobe. But something was slowing the processing, and in the area where returning cadets were waiting to hand over all the various pieces of clothing--underwear, swimsuits, bathrobes and so on--a betting pool sprung up on when the first new cadet would show up.

They had to keep revising their predictions, as the cadets didn't arrive until much later than expected.

The new basic cadets sat down for their first meal at the academy. They were watched with eagle eyes by returning cadets, who instructed them on how to sit, where to look (down) and what to say (nothing).