“Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence in all we do.”

This is the motto of the American Air Force Academy of Colorado. Established in 1954, The Academy is home to little more than 4,000 students all aspiring to serve in the United States Air Force. With an acceptance rate of 12.3%, admission into the Academy is extremely selective and competitive. Incoming students must be a US citizen, be unmarried, be of good moral character, be at least 17, and meet high leadership, academic, and physical standards. Not only is admission difficult, but the Academy’s curriculum is very rigorous and challenging. Out of 1,200 students that joined the Academy in recent years, only 1,000 of them went on to graduate. The Academy operates based on four “pillars of excellence”: academics, military training, athletics and character development. The Academy strives to have their students excel in each of these categories. Alumni study aeronautics and even get some hands-on experience by piloting gliders, small planes like Cessnas, and taking part in free-fall parachute training.

Covering 29 square miles, the academy boasts a very beautiful campus. For one, the Academy’s famous Cadet Chapel gives several religions a place of worship. The Chapel is symbolic for its unique brutalist architecture and how it stands out among the other buildings of the campus. The campus also houses multiple memorials, training gauntlets, a football stadium, and an airfield.

In conclusion, the Academy is fantastic for any Air Force hopeful, however one should keep in mind the challenges, expectations, and the hardships that come with joining.