United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is an institution for the undergraduate education of officers for the United States Air Force. Graduates of the four-year program receive a Bachelor of Science degree and most are commissioned as second lieutenants in the United States Air Force. The program at the Academy is based on its core values of "Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence In All We Do".
The Air Force Academy is often referred to informally as "The Academy," "The Hill", "The Zoo" (originally "The Blue Zoo") or "Wild Blue U." Unlike the service academies at West Point and Annapolis, which are often referred to by their respective city names, the Air Force Academy is rarely referred to as "Colorado Springs." In athletic events, the Academy is generally referred to simply as "Air Force." Air Force Academy cadets and graduates are often referred to as "Zoomies."
| Location: | Colorado Springs, CO |
| School Colors: | Air force blue and silver |
| Founded: | 1954 by Dwight D. Eisenhower |
| Enrollment: | approx.4500 cadets |
| Motto: | to education, train, and inspire men and women to become officers of character, motivated to lead the US Air Force in service to our nation |
| Mascot: | falcon |
| Nickname: | Fighting Falcons |
| Notable Alumni: | Kevin Chilton, Susan Helms, Joe Lombardi, Kim Read-Campbell, Ralph Eberhart |
| School Website: | http://www.usafa.af.mil |
| Parent Club Site: | http://www.freewebs.com/usafapawp/ |
| Notable Facts: | Parade uniform designed by Cecil B. DeMille Vietnam was the first war in which graduates served It is the youngest of the 5 federal academies |