What do you get when the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) brings together a tech-forward cadet and an international intel polyglot-in-training? Meet Gordon Broadbent and Sarah “FIGHT” Broadbent (Nickisch)—2013 United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) grads, founding members of WeVett, all-around power couple, and living proof that joining the Long Blue Line is just the beginning of an unforgettable life.
For Sarah, a conversation around the dinner table is what changed her trajectory. “I had started learning Arabic in high school and wanted to continue in college,” she recalls. “My dad randomly said at the dinner table the fall of my senior year, ‘How about a military academy?’ It was one of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received.” However, her time as a cadet wasn’t without challenges. When thinking back on her first day, Sarah says, “I just remember looking in the mirror at the end of the day—headband pulling back short hair, BCGs, and ABUs that were way too big—smiling and thinking, ‘What did I get myself into?’”
Gordon, on the other hand, had a window into the USAFA life before joining, and luckily inherited tips and tricks from his brother who attended the Academy before him. That was enough to brace him for what was coming. “I was just thankful to be there,” Gordon said. “My first day was exactly what I expected. Intense, but exciting.”
Their USAFA years were filled with the usual chaos, camaraderie, and character-building, but they also laid the foundation for an incredibly promising career. Today, Gordon serves as an active duty acquisitions officer (63A & 62E) and is currently taking part in a Department of the Air Force–sponsored Executive Development Program, spending three years at Microsoft while simultaneously pursuing a PhD. Sarah is a Drill Status Guardsman for the Oregon Air National Guard and the Director of Intelligence for the 173rd Fighter Wing. She’s also the founder and COO of ValkyrieTek, a consultancy focused on cyber and intelligence training solutions.
While currently based in Seattle, which they describe as “epic,” the Broadbents are already looking forward to their next chapter at Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB. And while their careers take them all over the globe, the pair has also found ways to give back wherever they may be. “We’re proud to be from USAFA, and strive to serve and pay it forward,” they share. “We’ve recently taken up a few opportunities to volunteer our time by getting involved in the new NextGen Advisory Council to the USAFA Association & Foundation and leading the Air & Space Forces Association Greater Seattle Chapter.”
For the Broadbents, giving back is just one way of staying connected to the community that shaped, and continues to shape, so much of their story. Their closest friendships, their mentors, even their extended family all trace back to the Long Blue Line. “USAFA provided us the opportunity to not only meet each other, but also paved the way for one of each of our siblings to marry incredible people,” Sarah says. Jonathan (’12) and Steph (’14) Broadbent and David (’13) and Sami (Nickisch) Shealy are all part of both the extended Broadbent family tree and the USAFA family, and their collective crew of kids has added more fun to the mix.
It was this strong sense of community that carried them through one of Sarah’s most defining transitions in 2023 when their daughter Ivy was born. “I knew I wanted to prioritize being home with her, but leaving a very promising active duty career was still challenging,” she shares. “I am fortunate to have so many incredible mentors and friends from USAFA and across my career that helped me navigate that crossroad!”
These days, returning to the Academy for events like the WeVett tailgate carries a deeper kind of meaning. It’s a return to the beginning; a full-circle moment where they get to reflect on how far they’ve come, while sharing the lessons of their journey with the next generation.
When asked what they’d say to the cadets or recent grads dropping by the tailgate, they don’t hesitate: “Try new things while you’re a cadet. Engage with your professors… it’s incredible how much they care!” And for the Broadbent’s final piece of advice, they implore, “Enjoy all that CO has to offer, but especially the snowboarding.”
