Colorado Springs is home to the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA). The cadet chapel is a landmark icon that draws tens of thousands of visitors every year. The Academy is nestled in the foothills of Colorado Springs. Residents living near the Air Force Academy can enjoy spanning views of the modern campus architecture, the football stadium, and training airport. It’s common to see free fall parachute jumping, glider planes, training aircraft, and occasional military jet fly-bys, including the USAF Thunderbirds on graduation day. Moderately to higher priced communities near the USAFA include Monument, Black Forest, Gleneagle, North Gate, Flying Horse, Briargate, and Rockrimmon.
Near and around USAFA, you’ll find:
- Fox Run Park
- Hiking & Biking Trails
- Parks
- Santa Fe Trail
- Chapel Hills Mall
- Shops of Briargate
- Shopping Centers
- Restaurants
- Theaters
- Churches
- New Life Church
- Business Offices
- Eisenhower Golf Course
- Flying Horse Golf Course
- Pine Creek Golf Course
- College Football Stadium
- Pikes Peak Community College
- District 20 Schools
- District 38 Schools
For military members, the Academy has full military amenities to include a base exchange, commissary, golf course, horse stables, fitness gym, Farish Recreation Area, and MWR.
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More Air Force Academy Info
Air Force Academy has a rich history that dates back to the Academy’s founding in 1954. The first cadets began training on March 3, 1955 and the first class, Class 12-1, graduated in June 1957. The Air Force Academy was officially dedicated in a ceremony on April 16, 1954 by President Dwight Eisenhower. Lieutenant Gen. Hubert R. Harmon was recalled from retirement to become its first Superintendent. The first entering class actually began their training at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, CO while construction of the Academy started. The cadet wing later moved to the current Colorado Springs site in 1958. The first class to graduate did so in 1959.
The Academy is located outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado and is part of the much larger United States Air Force Academy Complex that also includes the Heritage Hall Museum and Stanaway House. The larger complex is one of two military academies that are adjacent to major cities; West Point is in New York City near Manhattan and Annapolis is in Maryland near Washington D.C. There are two co-ed cadet dormitories, Vandenberg Hall and Sijan Hall, that houses approximately 4,000 cadets.
The Air Force Academy cadet area sits at an elevation of 7,280 feet above sea level. The entire Academy grounds covers over 886 acres and has a total of 159 buildings including classrooms, dormitories, administrative buildings and athletic facilities. There are also countless military monuments and static aircraft display at various locations to include the Polaris, a Vietnam War Memorial, busts of Tuskegee Airmen, a B-52, and even Chuck Yeager’s X-4 to name only a few.
