Air Force Academy Graduates Excited About Pres. Obama's Speech

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (CBS4)- For the second and final time, President Barack Obama delivered the commencement address at the Air Force Academy. And he had an important message for the cadets who are now second lieutenants.

"I am proud, I am happy, I am sad... it's like a bittersweet start to a new beginning but also an end to something that was awesome, you just didn't realize it," said one cadet.

For his final address at the Air Force Academy, Mr. Obama encouraged the graduates to be thoughtful leaders.

"You will be called upon to sustain this balance, to be hard headed and big hearted, guided by realism and idealism even when these forces are sometimes at odds," said the president. "You've got to have realism to see the world as it is where sometimes uncomfortable compromises are necessary."

The graduates took what the president had to say to heart and added in their own inspiration.

"Don't let anyone tell you you can't do anything or no because-- let that be your fuel and just prove them wrong because if we stopped every time someone told us no, we wouldn't have made it through prep school or anywhere," said another graduate.

The graduates also looked forward to the future.

"I'm going advanced for pilot training, hopefully I'll get to do what the Thunderbirds do," said another graduate. "I want to go fast."

All of the graduates are committed to a minimum of five years of service. Many will continue on to do much more.