United States Air Force Academy

The **United States Air Force Academy** (*USAFA* or *Air Force*) is an American military college. It was created in 1954. The Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of people who want to be officers for the United States Air Force or United States Space Force. The college is north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County. The Academy's goal is "to educate, train, and  men and women to become officers of ,  to lead the United States Air Force in service to our nation." It is the youngest of the five United States service academies. The Academy had its first graduation in 1959. Graduates of the Academy's four-year program get a Bachelor of Science degree. Most become second lieutenants in the United States Air Force.

The Academy is one of the largest tourist attractions in Colorado. More than a million people visit it each year. *Forbes* magazine, in 2009, ranked the Academy the #2 public college in the United States and the #7 college overall in its "America's Best Colleges 2009" publication. People wanting to study at the Academy are judged on their academic achievement, leadership, athletics and character. They must pass a fitness test, pass a medical examination, and be  by the member of Congress where they live. Recent classes have had about 1,400 cadets. Normally, less than 1,000 of the cadets will graduate. The cost of going to the Academy, Housing and food are paid for by the U.S. government.  Cadets are paid monthly while at the Academy. They must be a part of the military for a number of years after they graduate.

The program at the Academy is based on the Air Force's core values. These are  "* First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do*".  President Eisenhower signed a law on 1 April 1954 to begin building the Air Force Academy.

On 7 October 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed a law that let women study at the United States service academies. On 26 June 1976, 157 women went to the Air Force Academy. . On 28 May 1980, 97 of them finished the program and graduated from the Academy. They made up about 10% of the graduating class. Women now make up about 20% of the classes. and 2007.  After each scandal, the Academy tried to learn why the cheating took place. They also looked at complaints that the academic system put too much pressure on the cadets. Changes were made to try to reduce the events from happening again.

In 2005, there were complaints that some Evangelical Christian cadets and staff were trying to convert others to their religion at the Academy.  Because of this and how the Air Force deals other religious issues, Academy graduate Michael L. Weinstein filed a lawsuit against the Air Force.

## Notes
## References
## Further reading
* Bruegmann, Robert. *Modernism at Mid-Century: The Architecture of the United States Air Force Academy.* University of Chicago Press: 1995. .
* Celebrating the U.S. Air Force Academy's Golden Anniversary, *(Colorado Springs) Gazette,* Special Edition, Spring 2004.
* *Contrails* (various years)
* Fagan, George V. *Air Force Academy: An Illustrated History.* Johnson Books: 1988. .
* *Fifty Years of Excellence: Building Leaders of Character for the Nation,* 2004.
* Lui, Elizabeth Gill. *Spirit and Flight: A Photographic Salute to the United States Air Force Academy.* 1996. .
* Nauman, Robert Allen. (2004). *On the Wings of Modernism: the United States Air Force Academy.* Urbana: University of Illinois Press. ; OCLC 52542599
* Schemo, Diana Jean.  *Skies to Conquer: A Year Inside the Air Force Academy.*  John Wiley & Sons, Inc.: 2010.

## Other websites
* Official website
* Official military website
* Official Athletics website
* USAFA Association of Graduates (Alumni organization)