Did you ever wonder when our Military Academies were founded?

By David McClelland

Here are the answers concerning when each was founded:

The United States Military Academy in West Point, New York - 1802.
The United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland - 1845.
The United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut - 1876.
The United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York - 1942.
The United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado - 1954.

This is the first of a five-part series which will discuss each Academy.

Let's begin with our newest Academy since it is the one about which I am most familiar. I am an Air Force retiree (22 ¼ years) and was stationed in Colorado Springs, Colorado at Ent AFB from 1965 – 1971. Ent is now an Olympic training village, chosen due to its high elevation - 6,035 feet above sea level. Training there is believed to give our athletes an advantage when the games are held at lower elevations. Our daughter, Julie, was born at the Air Force Academy Hospital in March of 1969. I attended a few Air Force Academy football games and toured the Air Force Academy Chapel more than once. The Academy is in a beautiful setting at the base of the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains. My Ent assignment was most interesting and enjoyable. From the west windows of our home, we could see Pikes Peak which is 14,110 feet above sea level.

The mission of the Air Force Academy 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." The program at the Academy is guided by The Air Force's core values, "Integrity first, service before self and excellence in all that we do."

The Air Force Academy's first class graduated in 1959. Graduates receive a Bachelor of Science degree and are commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the USAF. Candidates for admission frequently receive a nomination from a member of Congress. Tuition, along with room and board, are all paid for by the U.S. Government; i.e., you and me. Recent classes have had about 1,400 cadets entering their first year and about 1,000 of those are expected to graduate four years later. Graduates must serve at least 4 years in the USAF.

On October 7, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed legislation permitting women to enter the United States service academies. On June 26, 1976, 157 women entered the Air Force Academy with the Class of 1980.

The Air Force Academy attracts more than one million tourists a year. If you find yourself traveling through Colorado, believe me when I tell you that you would enjoy a visit to our newest and most picturesque Academy. Be sure to take your camera.