Cadet Wing Commander And Former CAP Cadet

Air Force Academy Cadet 1st Class Anirvin Puttur (pictured below) of Mesa, Ariz., a former Civil Air Patrol cadet, has won a Rhodes Scholarship for 2026 and will study engineering science at Oxford.

Puttur is one of only two U.S. Air Force Academy cadets selected as Rhodes Scholars for the 2026 academic year. The award will fully fund Puttur’s postgraduate studies at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, where he plans to pursue a master’s degree in engineering science.

Also, Cadet 1st Class Robert J. Miller (Jake) won the award and will pursue a Master of Science in engineering science at the University of Oxford. Jake Miller is from Arden, North Carolina.

Miller serves as the Cadet Wing Commander at USAFA — the highest-ranking cadet leadership position in the Academy, responsible for guiding the Corps of Cadets.

Now in his final year at the Air Force Academy, Puttur is completing dual majors in aeronautical engineering and applied mathematics.

He also serves as president of the Academy’s Martinson Honors Program, a community focused on academic excellence, interdisciplinary learning, and leadership.

In Civil Air Patrol, Puttur joined the Williams Composite Squadron in Mesa at age 15 after hearing about CAP from family and friends.

Already interested in a military career, he immersed himself in opportunities ranging from color guard presentations to leadership positions and ultimately rose to the rank of cadet captain.

"CAP gave me a solid foundation, not just in military customs and courtesies, but in real life leadership," Puttur said in a release.

"I stuck around even when activities went virtual during the pandemic."

FMI: www.usafa.af.mil