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Air Force Academy: Difference between revisions
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===Vietnam=== | ===Vietnam=== | ||
The | The Vietnam War was the first war in which academy graduates fought and died. As such, it had a profound effect on the development of the character of the academy. Due to the need for more pilots, academy enrollment grew significantly during this time. The size of the graduating classes went from 217 cadets in 1961 to 745 cadets in 1970.<ref name="McKeown">Bill McKeown, "Cadets Learned True Meaning of Service During Vietnam War," ''(Colorado Springs) Gazette,'' USAF Academy 50th Anniversary Edition, Spring 2004.</ref> Academy facilities were likewise expanded, and training was modified to better meet the needs of the wartime Air Force. The [[Jacks Valley (United States Air Force Academy)|Jacks Valley]] field training area was added, the [[Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape]] (SERE) program was expanded, and light aircraft training started in 1968.<ref name="McKeown" /> | ||
Many academy graduates of this era served with distinction in the | Many academy graduates of this era served with distinction in the Vietnam War. [[McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II|F-4 Phantom II]] pilot [[R. Stephen Ritchie|Steve Ritchie]] '64 and <!--F-4 Phantom II-->[[weapon systems officer]] [[Jeffrey Feinstein]] '68 each became [[flying ace|aces]] by downing five enemy aircraft in [[combat]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.af.mil/history/person.asp?dec=&pid=123006498|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081022060247/http://www.af.mil/history/person.asp?dec=&pid=123006498|url-status=dead|title=USAF Bio: Richard S. Ritchie|website=Af.mil|archive-date=22 October 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afa.org/magazine/Sept2004/0904aces.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217033941/http://www.afa.org/magazine/Sept2004/0904aces.asp|url-status=dead|title=Rebecca Grant, "The Missing Aces," ''Air Force Magazine,'' Sep. 2004.|archive-date=17 February 2012}}</ref> 141 graduates died in the conflict; 32 graduates became [[prisoner of war|prisoners of war]]. [[Lance Sijan]], '65, fell into both categories and became the first academy graduate to be awarded the [[Medal of Honor]] due to his heroism while evading capture and in captivity.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=1130 |title=''Air Force Museum Fact Sheet: Capt. Lance P. Sijan,'' |publisher=Nationalmuseum.af.mil |access-date=2012-02-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110824184425/http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=1130 |archive-date=24 August 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Sijan Hall, one of the cadet dormitories, is named in his memory. | ||
The effects of the anti-war movement were felt at the academy as well. Because the academy grounds are generally open to the public, the academy often became a site for protests by anti-war demonstrators.<ref name="McKeown" /> | The effects of the anti-war movement were felt at the academy as well. Because the academy grounds are generally open to the public, the academy often became a site for protests by anti-war demonstrators.<ref name="McKeown" /> | ||
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===Recent history=== | ===Recent history=== | ||
In response to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], the academy graduated the Class of 2020 six weeks early. This was the first time that any USAFA class was ever commissioned early, and the first time for any military academy since the | In response to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], the academy graduated the Class of 2020 six weeks early. This was the first time that any USAFA class was ever commissioned early, and the first time for any military academy since the Vietnam War. This was also the first time that cadets were commissioned into the [[U.S. Space Force]], with [[John W. Raymond|General Jay Raymond]] administering the oath of office to 86 graduates.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/18/air-force-graduates-early-amid-coronavirus-first-space-force-officers.html |title=Air Force Academy graduates cadets early amid coronavirus outbreak, first Space Force officers join the ranks |last=Maclas |first=Amanda |date=April 18, 2020 |work=CNBC |access-date=May 9, 2020}}</ref> | ||
The US Space Force established its first unit at the academy when Detachment 1 of [[Space Delta 13]] was activated in November 2021. It is expected that approximately 10% of graduates at the academy will enter the Space Force.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usafa.af.mil/News/News-Display/Article/2836648/space-force-detachment-opens-at-academy-with-high-altitude-celebration/ |title=Space Force detachment opens at Academy with high-altitude celebration |last=Bowden |first=Ray |date=November 8, 2021 |website=US Air Force Academy |access-date=November 10, 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref> | The US Space Force established its first unit at the academy when Detachment 1 of [[Space Delta 13]] was activated in November 2021. It is expected that approximately 10% of graduates at the academy will enter the Space Force.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usafa.af.mil/News/News-Display/Article/2836648/space-force-detachment-opens-at-academy-with-high-altitude-celebration/ |title=Space Force detachment opens at Academy with high-altitude celebration |last=Bowden |first=Ray |date=November 8, 2021 |website=US Air Force Academy |access-date=November 10, 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref> | ||