Your Academy

Academy Organization
The Academy community consists of approximately 1,000 officers, 1,000 enlisted members, 1,600 appropriated fund and non-appropriated fund civilian employees and 4,000 cadets.

The entire Academy operation is under the leadership and direction of the Superintendent. The Superintendent oversees all aspects of officer development: professional military and leadership training, intellectual development, athletic programs and character development, including programs for moral and ethical enrichment, which serve as the foundation for all aspects of officership. A cadet's life is centered on seven major buildings in the cadet area. Some of these buildings were named after officers particularly vital to the history of the Air Force and the Academy.

Vandenberg and Sijan Halls are the cadet dormitories and contain cadet rooms, a cadet store, barber shops, supply and counseling offices, as well as rooms for professional activities and recreational clubs. The dorms are named after Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, the second Air Force chief of staff, and Capt. Lance P. Sijan, the only Academy graduate to receive the Medal of Honor. Fairchild Hall contains both academic classrooms and administrative facilities.

The McDermott Library is on the north end of Fairchild Hall and has more than 700,000 volumes. The academic building is named after the first commander of Air University, Gen. Muir S. Fairchild. The addition to Fairchild Hall is called the Fairchild Annex and contains state-of-the-art science labs, administrative offices, as well as an expanded cadet medical clinic and the dental clinics.

Mitchell Hall, the cadet dining hall, has facilities for serving meals to 4,400 people simultaneously. Mitchell Hall is named in honor of Brig. Gen. William "Billy" Mitchell, air power pioneer. The Cadet Chapel, dedicated in 1963, is the most recognizable building at the Academy and the most visited man-made tourist attraction in Colorado. It can seat 1,200 for Protestant services, 600 for Catholic services and 100 for Jewish worship.

Arnold Hall, the cadet social center, has a large ballroom, a 2,804-seat theater, snack bar and recreation areas. The building is named after the first general of the Air Force, Gen. Henry H. "Hap" Arnold, chief of the Army Air Forces during World War II.

Harmon Hall, the administrative center of the Academy, houses the offices of the Superintendent and staff. It is named in tribute to Lt. Gen. Hubert R. Harmon, the first Superintendent of the Academy.

Commandant of Cadets
The Cadet Wing falls under the Commandant of Cadets who oversees all military education and training, and the character and leadership development of approximately 4,000 cadets. This includes commissioning education, airmanship programs, cadet life activities, and facilities and logistics support. Each cadet is provided with the skills necessary for successful leadership and mission accomplishment as an Air Force officer.

Dean of Faculty
The Dean of Faculty, consisting of over 750 military and civilian personnel, oversees the academic development of cadets. The faculty of more than 530 members teaches more than 500 undergraduate courses in 32 academic disciplines for more than 4,000 cadets. Faculty members, who represent nearly every Air Force career field, facilitate cadet learning and serve as role models. Faculty also performs cutting-edge research; serve in leadership roles for cadet clubs, squadrons and teams; and are flight instructors at the Academy airfield.

The Dean of Faculty mission element includes 20 academic departments and five staff agencies, to include the McDermott Library, the Office of the Registrar, and the Directorate of Education. There are 15 research centers and two research institutes in addition to various working groups. The faculty at the Air Force Academy is nationally recognized, especially in areas of faculty accessibility, undergraduate education and scholarly research.

10th Air Base Wing
The 10th Air Base Wing consists of two groups, six squadrons, two divisions and seven staff agencies. The mission of the 10th ABW is a fit and ready force empowered to provide world-class customer support. The wing directly supports the Academy's mission by effectively utilizing more than 2,000 military and civilian personnel to help create the optimum environment to motivate and instruct Academy cadets.

With command of more than 80 percent of the Academy's total budget, the 10th ABW is the largest organization at the Academy. It is responsible for ensuring medical, engineering, logistics, communications, personnel, services, security and other key support for more than 12,000 military, civilian and family members on base.

Preparatory School
The Air Force Academy Preparatory School's mission is to motivate, prepare and evaluate selected candidates in an academic, military, moral and physical environment to perform successfully and enhance diversity at the academy.

The Preparatory School offers a 10-month program that combines academic preparation, military training, athletic conditioning, intercollegiate athletics and character development to instill in cadet candidates the skills and character necessary for success at the Academy and as commissioned officers in the Air Force. The curriculum focuses on academic preparation, with intensive instruction in mathematics, English and basic sciences. The course work is fast-paced and challenging.

Like the Academy, admission to the Preparatory School is competitive, with selections made by the Academy Director of Admissions. The director selects both active duty enlisted members and civilian applicants who have applied for admission to the Academy, but were not selected for direct entry. Medical Review
The DoD Medical Examination Review Board schedules and evaluates more than 30,000 medical examinations annually. The board determines the physical qualification or disqualification status on all applicants applying for appointment to the five U.S. service academies, four Reserve Officer Training Corps Scholarship Programs, and the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. The Board also provides an option for direct Army commission applicants for the Army Medical Department, Judge Advocate General Corps, and the Chaplain Corps for the active, reserve and National Guard components.  read more...

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