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United States Air Force Academy
military academy near Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA or Air Force)[Note 1] is an American military college. It was created in 1954. The Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of people who want to be officers for the United States Air Force. The college is north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County. The Academy's goal is "to educate, train, and inspire men and women to become officers of character, motivated to lead the United States Air Force in service to our nation."[2] It is the youngest of the five United States service academies. The Academy had its first graduation in 1959. Graduates of the Academy's four-year program get a Bachelor of Science degree. Most become second lieutenants in the United States Air Force.[3]
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Type | Federal military academy |
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Established | 1 April 1954 |
Endowment | $23.7 Million[1] |
Superintendent | Lt Gen Michael C. Gould |
Undergraduates | 4,417 cadets (max. set by Congress) |
Location | North of , , Colorado Springs |
Campus | Air Force base, 18,000 acres (73 km2) |
Nickname | Fighting Falcons |
Colors | Blue and Silver |
Mascot | The Bird |
Website | usafa.af.mil |
The Academy is one of the largest tourist attractions in Colorado. More than a million people visit it each year.[2] Students are called "cadets".
The Air Force Academy is one of the most selective colleges in the United States. U.S. News and World Report recently ranked it tied for 5th place in the category Undergraduate Engineering Programs.[4] Forbes magazine, in 2009, ranked the Academy the #2 public college in the United States and the #7 college overall in its "America's Best Colleges 2009" publication.[5] People wanting to study at the Academy are judged on their academic achievement, leadership, athletics and character. They must pass a fitness test, pass a medical examination, and be nominated by the member of Congress where they live. Recent classes have had about 1,400 cadets. Normally, less than 1,000 of the cadets will graduate.[6] The cost of going to the Academy, Housing and food are paid for by the U.S. government. Cadets are paid monthly while at the Academy. They must be a part of the military for a number of years after they graduate.[7]
The program at the Academy is based on the Air Force's core values. These are "Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do".[2] They are also based on four "pillars of excellence": military training, academics, athletics and character development.[2] Cadets study military training and a large curriculum in engineering, humanities, social sciences, basic sciences, military studies and physical education. All cadets take part in athletics. The academy has a character development and leadership curriculum.