United States Air Force Academy, Cadet Area

The United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel, completed in 1962, is the distinguishing feature of the Cadet Area at the United States Air Force Academy north of Colorado Springs. It was designed by Walter Netsch of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill of Chicago. Construction was accomplished by Robert E. McKee, Inc., of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Originally controversial in its design, the Cadet Chapel has become a classic and highly regarded example of modernist architecture. The Cadet Chapel was awarded the American Institute of Architects' National Twenty-five Year Award in 1996 and, as part of the Cadet Area, was named a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 2004.

The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academy in El Paso County, Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs. It educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. It is the youngest of the five service academies, having graduated its first class 65 years ago in 1959, but is the third in seniority. Graduates of the academy's four-year program receive a Bachelor of Science degree and are commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Air Force or U.S. Space Force. The academy is also one of the largest tourist attractions in Colorado, attracting approximately a million visitors each year.Admission is competitive, with nominations divided equally among Congressional districts. Recent incoming classes have had about 1,200 cadets; since 2012, around 20% of each incoming class does not graduate. During their tenure at the academy, cadets receive tuition, room and board, and a monthly stipend all paid for by the Air Force. On the first day of a cadet's second class year, cadets commit to serving a number of years as a commissioned officer in the Air Force or Space Force. Non-graduates after that point are expected to fulfill their obligations in enlisted service or pay back full tuition. The commitment is normally five years of active duty and three years in the reserves, although it has varied depending on the graduate's Air Force Specialty Code.

The United States Air Force Academy is an undergraduate college in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with the mission of educating and commissioning officers for the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. The Academy was established in 1954, entered its first class in 1955, and graduated its first class in 1959. All students hold the Air Force rank of "Cadet." Sports media refer to the Academy as "Air Force"; this usage is officially endorsed. Most cadets are admitted through a congressional appointment system. The curriculum is broad-based but has traditionally emphasized science and engineering. Before the Academy's first graduating class in 1959, the United States Military Academy and United States Naval Academy were the primary sources of officers for the Air Force and its predecessors, the Army Air Corps and Army Air Forces. Though the primary focus of the Academy is for the Air Force and Space Force, some graduates are given the option of "cross-commissioning" into the United States Army, United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, or United States Coast Guard.This list is drawn from graduates, non-graduate former cadets, current cadets, and faculty of the Air Force Academy. Over 410 noted scholars from a variety of academic fields are Academy graduates, including: 41 Rhodes Scholars, 9 Marshall Scholars, 13 Harry S. Truman Scholars, 115 John F. Kennedy School of Government Scholars, and 31 Gerahart Scholars. Additional notable graduates include 794 general officers, 164 graduates who were killed in combat, 36 repatriated prisoners of war, 1 Medal of Honor recipient, and 2 combat aces. Thirty-nine Academy graduates have become astronauts, second among institutions of higher learning only to the United States Naval Academy with 52.

Cadet Soccer Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium in Colorado Springs, Colorado on the grounds of the United States Air Force Academy. It is home to the Air Force Falcons men's and women's soccer teams.

Erdle Field is a baseball venue located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. It is home to the Air Force Falcons college baseball team of the Division I Mountain West Conference. Opened in 1957, the venue has a capacity of 1,000 spectators. The field, located in the Rampart Range of the Rocky Mountains, is more than 7,000 feet (2,100 m) above sea level.In both 1976 and 1995, the field hosted the United States Olympic Festivals.

The Cadet Field House is an indoor sports complex in the western United States, located at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado, near Colorado Springs. The multi-purpose facility was built 56 years ago in 1968, and is at an approximate elevation of 7,080 feet (2,160 m) above sea level.

KAFA-FM (97.7 FM, "97.7 The Academy") is the radio station operated by current officer cadets at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The station does not hold a direct Federal Communications Commission license, as it is owned by a service academy. The United States government has a direct assignment of the call sign. KAFA first broadcast in 1971 and has been on the air continuously since 1989. A full-time civilian station manager is employed in its operation and assists the cadet and permanent party DJs.

Cathedral Rock is a rock formation located north of Colorado Springs, Colorado on the U.S. Air Force Academy. The formation was part of the namesake Cathedral Rock Ranch, owned by Lawrence Lehman. Lehman sold the 4650 acre ranch, including Cathedral Rock, to the U.S. Air Force, and it became the first component of the U.S. Air Force Academy.

The Air Force Academy is a census-designated place (CDP) located in El Paso County, Colorado, United States. The CDP includes the developed portion of the United States Air Force Academy, including the cadet housing facilities. The CDP is a part of the Colorado Springs, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The USAF Academy post office (ZIP Codes 80840 and 80841 (for post office boxes) serves the area. At the United States Census 2020, the population of the Air Force Academy CDP was 6,680.

The United States Air Force Academy Cemetery is a cemetery at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado. It is administered by the 10th Air Base Wing.

Pioneer Cabin, also known as William A. Burgess House, is one of the oldest buildings in Colorado Springs, Colorado's Douglas Valley. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School—usually referred to as "the Prep School" or "The P School"—was established in May 1961. The school's founder and first commander was Colonel Lee Charles Black. It is located on the campus of the United States Air Force Academy near the Community Center. The Prep School's mission is to prepare, motivate, and evaluate for admission to and success at the Air Force Academy. Students at the prep school are referred to as "cadet candidates" or more informally as "preppies." The prep school has a staff of 57 people and offers a 10-month program of intense academic preparation, military training, and athletic conditioning, designed to develop in cadet candidates the skills and character necessary to be successful at the academy. The academic curriculum is focused on mathematics, English, and sciences.