Welcome

Welcome to your U.S. Air Force Academy and congratulations on your new assignment. We're pleased to have you here. Shortly,you'll become part of the wonderful experience of preparing 4,000 cadets for careers in the Air Force. Everyone's effort is needed to ensure success — officers, NCOs, Airmen, civilian employees and family members. You’ll help prepare our future leaders by serving as a role model, on and off duty. You will set the example through your performance on the job, your appearance, your attitude and your conduct. Become involved with cadets, because your participation is important to their personal and professional development. Your involvement can take many forms: attending intramural, club and intercollegiate activities; coming to lectures presented by guest speakers; becoming a squadron participant and, if eligible, by being a cadet sponsor. While you’re here, you’ll be able to take advantage of our extensive recreational facilities that are among the finest in the Air Force. We offer a wide range of seasonal programs to help make Colorado and its seasons enjoyable for our base community. Again, welcome to your Academy.

Our Mission

Academy Mission Statement

To educate, train and inspire men and women to become leaders of character, motivated to lead the United States Air Force in service to our nation. 

Academy Vision Statement

To be the Air Force’s premier institution for producing leaders of character. 

The Officer Development System provides all members of the Academy community a framework and set of strategies to accomplish our mission. Within the ODS the Academy executes a single integrated Course of Instruction. Within this COI cadets receive: an accredited Bachelor of Science degree; an intensive program of physical education; and develop enduring leadership competencies through military development. 

Since Academy graduates must be prepared to assume professional and leadership roles in the 21st century Air Force, the intellectual aspect of officer development includes more than 500 academic courses encompassing basic sciences, engineering, the humanities and social sciences. Cadets complete a core curriculum of 101 semester hours in all four academic areas, five additional hours of Physical Education, and 45 hours of academic major courses.  

The Academy’s athletic program helps develop leadership, teamwork, self-confidence and physical courage. All cadets are athletes and must take three physical education classes per year in addition to intramural or intercollegiate athletic programs. The physical education curriculum offers 23 courses in combative, aquatics, lifetime sports and developmental subject areas.

The Academy experience is set apart from other institutions of higher learning by the military development aspect. Four primary areas are stressed: professional military studies, theoretical and applied leadership experiences, aviation science, and airmanship programs and military training. The goal is providing today’s cadets the knowledge, skills and values necessary to meet the leadership challenges of the tomorrow’s Air Force. 

The final aspect of officer development and a major area of cadet life is character development. Since the nature of the military profession requires officers to have high ethical and moral standards, cadets are challenged to reflect upon their beliefs and values from the moment they arrive. A central focus of all cadet activities is the Cadet Honor Code. Upon arrival, cadets take the honor oath, pledging: "We will not lie, steal or cheat, nor tolerate among us anyone who does." 

On or off duty, this range of activities is intended to prepare young men and women to go forward with distinction, honor and the highest character.