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Air Force Academy: Difference between revisions
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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" /> | 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 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 | 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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* Meet high leadership, academic, physical and medical standards | * Meet high leadership, academic, physical and medical standards | ||
In addition to the normal application process, all candidates must secure a nomination to the academy, normally from a [[United States Senate|U.S. Senator]] or [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Representative]]. Each member of [[Congress of the United States|Congress]] and the vice president can have five appointees attending the Air Force Academy at any time. The process for obtaining a congressional nomination is not political and candidates do not have to know their senator or representative to secure a nomination. Additional nomination slots are available for children of career military personnel, children of disabled [[veteran]]s or veterans who were [[killed in action]], or children of | In addition to the normal application process, all candidates must secure a nomination to the academy, normally from a [[United States Senate|U.S. Senator]] or [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Representative]]. Each member of [[Congress of the United States|Congress]] and the vice president can have five appointees attending the Air Force Academy at any time. The process for obtaining a congressional nomination is not political and candidates do not have to know their senator or representative to secure a nomination. Additional nomination slots are available for children of career military personnel, children of disabled [[veteran]]s or veterans who were [[killed in action]], or children of Medal of Honor recipients. The admissions process is a lengthy one and applicants usually begin the paperwork during their junior year of high school.<ref>{{cite web|title=Air Force Academy|publisher=Admissions team, United States Air Force Academy|url=http://www.academyadmissions.com}}</ref> | ||
===Class size=== | ===Class size=== | ||