air force academy candidate visit weekend

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United States Air Force Academy in Colorado

The Academy is one of the most popular attractions in Colorado, welcoming more than one million visitors each year.

Find out everything you need to know about visiting.

The U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado , located north of Colorado Springs, is an institution that educates, trains and inspires men and women to become officers of character motivated to lead the United States Air Force and Space Force in service to our nation.

Hours & Visitor Info

The U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs is open to visitors daily from 5:30 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. and the Visitor Center is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m . The Visitor Center is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

Visitors to the Academy can enter through either the South or North Gate, which can be accessed from Exit 150 or 156 on Interstate 25, just north of downtown Colorado Springs. The public is welcome to use the Arnold Hall food court, hiking and biking trails, the stables and golf course. Stop by the Visitor Center for more information.

All guests over the age of 18 are required to have a valid state-issued ID, Defense Department ID, or passport. Random vehicle inspections may also be required. Learn more about getting on base .

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR

Top 11 Must-See Attractions at the U.S. Air Force Academy

1. barry goldwater visitor center, 2. u.s. air force academy planetarium.

Travel to space or other far off lands in free, immersive screenings presented on an incredible 8K projected display with surround sound.

3. Noon Meal Formation

Watch as thousands of cadets march in formation to Mitchell Hall to the Air Force song and other anthems.

4. Cadet Chapel

Closed for a major restoration until Spring 2027, the stunning chapel features striking architectural elements inspired by Air Force vehicles.

5. B-52 Display

It'll be hard to miss this massive static display of a B-52 bomber that served in the Vietnam War and is the last bomber in aviation history to have downed aircraft with machine guns.

6. Cadet Field House

Cheer on the Falcons at this massive sports arena, home to basketball, volleyball, ice hockey and indoor track competitions.

7. Academic Overlook

Soak in your surroundings and marvel at campus buildings at this scenic overlook.

8. Athletic Overlook

Nearby the Academic Overlook, this vantage point offers sweeping views of the Academy's sprawling sports fields.

9. Arnold Hall

Home to a 2,900-seat theater and a food court, the Hall also features commemorative displays of the Tuskegee Airmen and other notable historical Air Force figures.

10. Doolittle Hall

A giant Pegasus statue greets you at Doolittle Hall, home to the alumni association. Nearby, find the Challenge Bridge, Mall of Heroes, Memorial Wall, and Southeast Asia Pavilion.

11. Falcon Stadium

Sit among 46,692 fans as they cheer on the Falcons at this impressive football stadium, also host to the Academy's annual graduation celebration.

In addition to state-of-the-art technology and modern architecture, this campus offers eleven different sites for civilians to explore.

U.S. Air Force Academy Chapel

PLEASE NOTE:

The U.S. Air Force Academy Chapel is closed for a major restoration that is estimated to last until spring 2027. Those interested in seeing the Cadet Chapel can check out the virtual tour .

The U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado is perhaps best known for its stunning chapel. Soaring 150 feet toward the Colorado sky, the Cadet Chapel is an all-faith house of worship designed to meet the spiritual needs of cadets. It contains centers of worship for Protestant, Catholic, Jewish and Buddhist chapels, an All-Faiths Room, and a Falcon Circle, each with its own entrance. The Chapel is capable of holding services in all rooms at one time.

The aluminum, glass and steel structure features 17 spires. There is no significance to this number. Original designs were too expensive, so changes were made, among them a reduction in the number of spires. The changes did not alter the basic design or the interior square footage of the chapel, however. The chapel structure cost $3.5 million to build. Furnishings, pipe organs, liturgical fittings and adornments of the chapel were presented as gifts from individuals, organizations, and donations from Easter offerings made at Air Force bases. The chapel was named one of CNN's most epic churches in America .

U.S. Air Force Academy Planetarium

The Planetarium features free shows for cadets, school groups and the public. Enjoy shows such as Black Holes, Fighter Pilot and Superpower Dogs. One of the oldest structures at the Academy, it was originally used to teach cadets celestial navigation. Now, after a refurbishment provided by generous donations, the advanced technology and capabilities serve a new generation of cadets leading the way in space, as well as STEM education for K-12 students and community outreach.

Check out the latest schedule of free public shows and enjoy the reclining theater seats and 8K projectors offering a 360-degree near-hemispheric screen to deliver a visually immersive field-of-view.

View All Attractions

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the united states air force academy in colorado.

The United States Air Force Academy in Colorado is located just north of Colorado Springs on a 18,500-acre campus that sits against the beautiful Front Range mountain range. Colorado Springs was selected as the site of the Academy at the recommendation of a special commission appointed by the secretary of the Air Force upon the Academy's formation by Congress in 1954. The commission had traveled 21,000 miles and toured hundreds of sites during their research process, ultimately selecting Colorado Springs as their top choice overall. Construction on the Air Force Academy began in the summer of 1955.

What kinds of hiking and biking trails are available at the U.S. Air Force Academy?

The U.S. Air Force Academy maintains over 30 miles of trails which visitors can enjoy. Pack sunscreen and layers of clothing as the mountain weather can change quickly. Bring a buddy to explore the Rampart Range and carry water with you to stay hydrated. Here’s a list of all the trails available to explore. To view a full map of U.S. Air Force Academy trails, click here .

Are there dining options available for visitors on base?

Yes, there are plenty of options for grabbing a snack or meal while you are on the base. They include fast food and favorite chains, pub fare and several restaurants serving lunch and dinner. Here is a  list of all the dining options  and their hours of operation.

What kind of events happen at the U.S. Air Force Academy?

There are events year-round at the base. For a full schedule, visit the Academy’s calendar of events . The U.S. Air Force Academy cadets compete on 27 NCAA Division I teams, primarily within the Mountain West Conference. To get tickets to an upcoming game and cheer on the Falcons during their most popular sporting events including football, basketball, volleyball and hockey, call 719-472-1895 or visit www.goairforcefalcons.com .

Who attends the U.S. Air Force Academy?

The U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado is among the most selective colleges in the United States. Candidates are judged based on their academic achievement, demonstrated leadership, athletics and character. To gain admission, candidates must also pass a fitness test, undergo a thorough medical examination and secure a nomination, which usually comes from one of the candidate's members of Congress. Recent incoming classes have usually consisted of about 1,400 cadets; just under 1,000 of those usually make it through to graduation. Cadets pay no tuition but are committed to serving a number of years in the military service after graduation. Graduates of the four-year program receive a Bachelor of Science degree and most are commissioned as second lieutenants.

Is camping available for youth groups or scouts?

The U.S. Air Force Academy is proud to host local youth organizations on base for camping. Our designated campground for overnight stays is conveniently located near the North Gate. The primitive campground is adjacent to the B-52 static display and available to reserve year-round . There is no fee to reserve the campground. In order to allow time for processing, please make your reservations at least 45 days in advance. Nestled along the base of the Front Range, the Academy preserves over 18,500 acres of forests and mountain terrain, ideal for outdoor activities.

Due to base regulations, groups camping overnight must have a designated sponsor with a valid Department of Defense/military ID card.

You may not be able to go to 55 attractions in 5 days, but we did.

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How Do I Apply

Applying to the United States Air Force Academy is more involved than applying to a typical college or university. There are many steps and important deadlines to meet. But first it’s important to understand how the process is divided into pre-candidate and candidate phases. Many of the steps in each phase can and should be completed concurrently.

Seek Your Nomination Apply for Your Nomination Early

To be eligible to accept an appointment to the Academy, you must be nominated by a legally authorized nominating entity. The process of securing a nomination is competitive and lengthy. It is recommended you begin applying for a nomination at the same time you are completing your Pre-candidate Questionnaire.

Application Part I The First Steps in a Longer Journey

When you first apply to the Academy, you are an “applicant” or “pre-candidate.” Pre-candidates who qualify are then granted the status of “candidate.” In the pre-candidate phase, you will self-report your grade point average and class rank. The Pre-candidate Questionnaire opens March 1.

Application Part II Becoming an Official Candidate

Those applicants who achieve candidate status will be able to access the online application, which contains valuable information and instructions on how to complete the official application for admission to the U.S. Air Force Academy. Candidate portals open in July.

Commitment Spend Your Career Leading Others, Not Paying Off Debt

An education at the U.S. Air Force Academy is provided at no cost to cadets. Instead, once you graduate, you will commission as an officer in the U.S. Air Force or Space Force. The length of your commitment will depend on your career path, but the benefits will last a lifetime.

Unique Student Groups A Strong Air Force and Space Force Starts With a Diverse Academy

Diversity is more than the color of your skin. Students with all imaginable backgrounds and life experiences from every corner of the country—and even the world—come together to make the United States Air and Space Forces stronger. Because when we put on the blue, we’re all one.

Admissions Cycle Get the Big Picture to See Where You Stand

Applying to the U.S. Air Force Academy takes more time and commitment than applying to other universities. But then this isn’t like any other university. Discover what you need to do to get an education above the ordinary.

Admissions Categories

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• Service Academy Discussion
• Air Force Academy - USAFA

USAFA Candidate Visit Weekend

• Thread starter bumper57
• Start date Jan 27, 2013
• Jan 27, 2013

New to this thread. Does USAFA offer Canidate Visit Weekends for non enlisted canidates? If so are they similar to USMA and USNA? Thanks  

Usafamom2016

USAFA does not have candidate visit weekends. They do have day visits for candidates with appointments where they shadow a cadet for the day and the parents get a separate orientation. I highly recommend this if you can afford an extra trip to the Springs.  

dang.dgaynes

Usafamom2016 said: USAFA does not have candidate visit weekends. They do have day visits for candidates with appointments where they shadow a cadet for the day and the parents get a separate orientation. I highly recommend this if you can afford an extra trip to the Springs. Click to expand...

You can request a tour on the USAFA Admissions website. My DS and I will be visiting next Monday and are really looking forward to it.  

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A REUTERS SPECIAL REPORT

Two Black cadets and the struggle for diversity at an elite US military institution

By Photography by KEVIN MOHATT and text by DONNA BRYSON

Filed March 30, 2024, 10 a.m. GMT

As a freshman, Tusajigwe Owens woke up every day wanting to do more

Marcus Berrette has wanted to be a pilot since he was five years old

The Air Force Academy has tried – and failed – for several years to close the graduation gap for Black cadets

Photography by Kevin Mohatt and text by Donna Bryson in Colorado Springs, Colorado

Filed: March 30, 2024, 10 a.m. GMT

Pale marble pavers crisscross the Terrazzo, the plaza at the heart of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado that cadets traverse daily, on the way to class, the library and meals. In their first year, cadets must run and keep to the narrow marble strips whenever they are on the 20-acre Terrazzo.

Tusajigwe Owens doesn’t take short cuts. He is one of 112 Black cadets in the class of 1,071 freshmen that started at the academy in June 2022.

Running the strips helps instill a sense of urgency and attention to detail that “absolutely matters for the success of yourself and the success of your team,” he said.

Older cadets share coping strategies such as organizing schedules to minimize Terrazzo trips, or walking when the marble is slippery in wet weather. “They would rather see you succeed,” Owens said.

Not everyone will. The graduation rate for Black cadets has for the last decade averaged 66%, compared to an overall graduation rate of 80%.

Graduation rates at US officer training academies

That gap has frustrated the Air Force’s stated objective of increasing diversity in its officer corps.

Only 6% of officers identify as Black, compared to about 17% among enlisted members of the Air Force, according to the Air Force Personnel Center.

Those figures have changed very little in the last 20 years, according to an Air Force spokesperson.

By comparison, around 13% of America’s population is Black.

Source: Air Force Personnel Center, U.S. Census Bureau

On June 29, days after Owens finished his first year, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down race-conscious admissions at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina in a case brought by Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), a group that argues that affirmative action policies discriminate against white and Asian American people. Chief Justice John Roberts exempted military training academies from the decision, citing the U.S. government argument that the legitimacy of the armed forces would be undermined by having an overwhelmingly white officer corps leading much more diverse enlisted ranks.

In the fall, the SFFA expanded its challenge to the military’s elite training academies, suing to block the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, and the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, from considering race as a factor in admissions. The Supreme Court in February declined an SFFA request to intervene in the West Point case. SFFA founder Edward Blum told Reuters the group would continue to challenge the military’s admissions policies through the lower courts, where the cases are currently being heard.

West Point, the Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy declined to comment on the SFFA court cases. A Pentagon spokesperson said that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin remains deeply committed to building an officer corps that draws on “the full strength of the American people.”

Reuters was granted access to the Air Force Academy for the most sustained reporting on the facility since the early 2000s. Journalists visited the campus in Colorado Springs, Colorado, a dozen times over the course of an academic year, interviewing Owens and a fellow African American freshman, Marcus Berrette, as well as eight members of the institution’s leadership team in the presence of an academy spokesman.

Their responses on matters of race were complex.

Reuters also spoke to two Black men who entered the academy in 2006 and did not graduate with their class.

Owens and Berrette, both now sophomores, academy officials and the former cadets offered no definitive explanations for the higher drop-out rate among African American cadets. Still, they pointed to what they see as several contributing factors. Academy officials referenced the small number of Black cadets. Cadets pointed to the importance the academy places on hierarchy and tradition. Officials and students also mentioned the country’s broader legacy of racism and underestimating Black potential.

An academy spokesperson said that the institution is “unsettled” by the higher drop-out rates among African American cadets and is working to combat it by bringing more Black students to campus and committing to their success.

The spokesperson said the academy would continue to consider race among factors for admission, in addition to gender and geography.

The Class of 2026 arrived on a bright June day in 2022. The first of their four years at the academy would involve studying “Contrails,” a breast-pocket-size manual of academy lore, and revered Air Force figures such as Jimmy Doolittle, who led the first bombing raids on Tokyo after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

The cadets would also have to get used to wearing uniforms to class and to dorm rooms equipped with racks for M-16 rifles, rendered inoperable, that cadets carry during military games. And marching. So much marching.

That’s alongside what freshmen anywhere might have encountered: football games, chemistry tests, English papers.

Owens, born in 2002 in Philadelphia, planned to major in military strategic studies. While he chose the military, Owens said his mother, a nurse, and his father, an IT manager, modeled service and leadership for him at work, church and home.

Berrette, born in 2004 in Fort Myers, Florida, is the son of an Air Force officer. He has wanted to be a pilot since he was five years old, when he ran across books about planes at a school book fair. He planned to major in aeronautics.

His passion for flight inspired his mother, Ermita Charles-Berrette, to leave her job as a nurse and sign up for the Air Force. She joined in 2012 on a leadership track - the academy is not the only way to become an officer - and is a major.

As the school year started, Berrette and Owens marched onto a parade ground with the rest of their class to take the academy oath: “I will not lie, steal or cheat nor tolerate among us anyone who does. Furthermore, I resolve to do my duty and to live honorably, so help me God.”

Before he came to the academy, Berrette said he spoke to Black alumni who said he would have to work twice as hard as white cadets to gain recognition and could expect harsher punishment if he got into trouble. But Berrette and Owens never spoke to Reuters of being discouraged.

Bias to outright discrimination

In 1959, five years after its founding, the academy admitted its first Black students, three men in a class of 755. All three were among the 499 graduates of the class of 1963.

By 2008, the year Barack Obama was elected America’s first Black president, among the 1,286 students who started at the academy, just 47 were Black, or fewer than 4%.

Daryl Wells, who is Black and was then in his junior year at the academy, recalls a drawing he saw circulated among his fellow cadets during that election season showing a trap baited with watermelon – an old racist trope aimed at Black Americans – and a caption referring to Obama. He said a white cadet, whom he declined to name, told him: “You weren’t supposed to see that.”

“I didn’t realize how racist it (the academy) was until the advent of Obama,” Wells said. “It was probably just a concentrated version of America at large.”

Wells, now a Houston real estate agent, said he left the academy at the start of his senior year because of a personal crisis over his realization that he was gay. He returned to graduate in 2011, a year behind his class, and completed the five years of active-duty military service required of academy graduates in return for free college education.

“I didn’t realize how racist it (the academy) was until the advent of Obama.” Daryl Wells

Wells said the racism he encountered did not influence his decision to leave and would not impact whether he would advise anyone to go.

“That’s not how you fix the problem, not by shying away from these places,” Wells said. “You have to deal with things in order for the next generation not to have to deal with them.”

The academy did not respond to requests for comment on Wells’ account of his experiences.

In 2020, nine years after Wells graduated, the Air Force Inspector General issued its first report into racial disparities in the service. It found lower than average promotion rates for Black officers across all ranks, and that one in three Black officers did not believe the Air Force provided them the same opportunities to advance as their white peers.

“Thousands of Black service members and civilians reported issues ranging from bias to outright racial discrimination,” the inspector general wrote.

An academy spokesperson said the institution trains cadets to report discrimination up the chain of command.

Affirmative action in the military and its academies is part of a charged debate. Lawmakers including Rep. Tom Tiffany, a Wisconsin Republican who has not served in the military, have portrayed such policies, including at military academies, as discriminatory.

“It’s pretty simple. If we are serious about ending discrimination in the United States, the first step is for the government to stop doing the discriminating,” Tiffany told Reuters in an email.

Rep. Jason Crow, a Colorado Democrat and former Army Ranger, said that while understanding did not hinge on military experience, his own service had taught him the importance of building a military that reflects the country’s diversity.

“Usually, people who have served and who know something about national security and military service really do support this,” Crow told Reuters.

“I can’t sit back and try to lead from the background.”

– Marcus Berrette

Finding inspiration

As classes got underway, Berrette was pleased to find a reading assignment on the Harlem Hellfighters, the Black infantry regiment that spent 191 days in combat during World War One, longer than any other American unit.

In the spring of 2023, Berrette perused the program for an on-campus leadership symposium, noting Eddie S. Glaude Jr., chair of Princeton University’s Department of African American Studies, would be speaking about the threat white supremacy poses to democracy.

“It’s just always interesting to see how our brothers and sisters made it to the top,” Berrette said. “It’s not always easy.”

During a question-and-answer session, which a Reuters reporter attended, a white cadet said some of his classmates were angry at having to take part in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) workshops. Glaude drew a standing ovation when he counseled cadets to press on, saying leaders have to say, “at some point, ’Shut the hell up and let’s go.’”

When Reuters told Joseph Looney, the academy’s chief DEI officer, about the white cadet’s question to Glaude, Looney said: “That didn’t surprise me. We’ve got that feedback a little bit.”

“Nothing here has come easy at all.”

– Tusajigwe Owens

Gaining entry in the first place

Competition for a place at the academy is intense and usually requires nomination by a state’s congressional representative.

Each member of Congress is allowed to nominate up to 10 candidates, and up to five cadets from any district can attend the academy at one time.

Col. Arthur Primas Jr., who until recently served as the academy’s director of admissions, said he dispatches diverse recruiters to reach out to high school guidance counselors and visit schools in communities of color. The Supreme Court ruling on race-conscious university admissions did not address recruitment.

“I think the academy does an excellent job now of celebrating those diverse graduates who have gone on to do great things,” Primas said, adding that it shows potential students “what is possible.”

When Owens approached lawmakers in his home state of Pennsylvania for a nomination in 2021, he said he was told he didn’t appear ready. Owens had been homeschooled and didn’t have a high class ranking or extra-curricular activities. So he enrolled in the academy’s on-campus, 10-month prep school, open to anyone whose initial application to the academy is unsuccessful.  Democratic Senator Bob Casey’s office confirmed it nominated Owens the following year.

Berrette also attended the prep school, where tuition is free.

“They’re willing to invest in you to make you completely eligible for the academy,” Berrette said.

“I wasn’t born into a family where my dad’s name would get me into the right school. I feel like I had actually to earn this.” Tusajigwe Owens

Enlisted members of the Air Force and other services also can apply to the prep school, allowing the school to tap into a larger pool of minorities. On average, African American students have made up about 28% of the prep school classes since 2014.

While entrance to the academy from the prep school is not ensured, it is “instrumental” for preparing many diverse candidates, Primas said.

Over the past decade, a total of 1,787 prep school graduates have been admitted to the academy. Of those, 396, or 22%, have been African American.

Russell Roberts enrolled at the academy in 2006 planning to study engineering after being recruited to play football, the first in his family to attend a military academy. He said white cadets, whose names he no longer remembers, often told him that they expected him to fail. When he did well on tests, suspicious white cadets told him they would figure out whether he had cheated and report him if he had.

“There wasn’t a single Black cadet that gave me that treatment,” he said.

Black upperclassmen instead tried to make first-year cadets feel at home by, for example, cutting their hair, Roberts said, adding that the academy barbers were unaccustomed to cutting Black hair.

“I do feel like some of it (the treatment) was race-related, but I don’t want to say it was racist,” he said.

Because of his hostile treatment at the academy, Roberts said, he transferred to a school in Texas that had also recruited him to play football. He’s now a manager at a big box store in Houston.

The academy did not respond to requests for comment on Roberts’ experience.

Some days, Owens said, he looks at his fellow cadets and sees “descendants of generals, of individuals who have been in the Air Force for decades.”

It’s a point of pride for Owens that he is there, too.

“I wasn’t born into a family where my dad’s name would get me into the right school,” Owens said. “I feel like I had actually to earn this.”

The academy began reducing the extent to which legacy was taken into account for admissions in 2013 and eliminated it entirely in 2022.

Followership to leadership

Freshmen cadets are known as Doolies, after World War II hero Doolittle. Some cadets say the name comes from the Greek for slave – doulos. That’s an explanation academy leaders say they would like to put behind them.

Cadets in their first year are meant to look to upperclassmen for direction as a step toward one day being leaders themselves.

“It’s not easy being a Doolie. I wake up every day thinking, ‘I wish I could do more,’” Owens said.

Owens has expressed concern that cadets are too often treated as numbers: their GPA or class rankings that determine who gets coveted assignments such as a place in flight school.

“I was worried I would face racism here,” Owens told Reuters. But “I’ve been talked down to more because of my class rank than because I’m a Black man.”

At year’s end, Owens was named the top cadet among his squad’s 26 Doolies, an honor that squad supervisor Lt. Col. Jessica Pratt attributed to the effort Owens put into military training and his dedication to helping others.

On May 22, Owens stood in the football stadium with his fellow cadets to salute the graduation speaker – President Joe Biden, their civilian commander in chief.

Biden noted that the Class of 2023 was one of the most diverse in the institution’s history. A third were minorities, according to academy figures.

“That’s why we’re strong,” Biden told the cadets. “That’s why we’re who we are.”

By Donna Bryson

Photography by Kevin Mohatt

Additional reporting by Phil Stewart

Photo editing and art direction: Maye-E Wong

Art direction and graphics: John Emerson

Edited by Suzanne Goldenberg

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