Why did you choose a service academy?

O

Ouzel

USAFA '27
Joined
Jul 16, 2021
Messages
19
I am thinking about applying to a SA, more specifically USAFA. I've done quite a bit of research and know a lot about the SA experience because I used to live right outside of Annapolis. Now I live somewhere I have a much better chance of getting a nomination, because barely anyone here knows the SA exist. But I am wondering if people can tell me why they or someone they know decided to go, or not go, to a service academy. It's a huge commitment and such a unique experience, and I want to make sure I make the right decision for the right reasons.
 
As an applicant for 2026, I chose to apply to the Service Academies, due to the experience, and the likeminded near me. If I attend a Service Academy, I will be surrounded with the same people who have set on one goal, serving the country, and graduating with the position of 2nd Lieutenant. Although I will also be applying to regular colleges, such as Embry-Riddle, Purdue, I aim to join the ROTC Programs at these institutions. I love the idea of attending ROTC, therefore getting a some-what normal college experience, as a typical college student, but also ending up in the same position, as though a person who attends a Service Academy; graduating as a 2nd Lieutenant in any respective branch of the US Armed Forces. This is not my only reason why, just a rather simple one.

I first had this desire to attend a Service Academy, when a midshipman from USNA visited my High-School in my Freshmen Year, and he explained through almost an 1 hour presentation; that attending a Service Academy not only an obligation, but also a privilege that not many receive. Of course, I was hooked, and then I was able to do my own research, and I learned this is what I wanted to do with my life.

Throughout my family lines, Service to the country runs in my blood, only my dad being the one who didn't serve due to some complications. I don't know my mom's side of the family, so I don't worry about that too much, although sometimes curiosity peaks my interest.

Personally, I would say that the desire to attend a Service Academy is personal to each and every applicant, whether that is: getting school paid for, serving the country, and/or maybe your parents encouraged/forced you to attend. Whatever YOUR reason is; you may find it easily, or it may take you a while.

As long as it's personal, and not tied into what others may think, it'll come naturally.

This is just my grain of salt... :bounce1:
 
The big thing is that you should want to serve as an officer in that branch. This is the point of the service academies.
(Doesn't mean you need to want to make it a multi-decade career, but the service part is more important than the academy part...)

As to why the academy vs ROTC, OTS, Reserve, or Guard, I'd say go for the unique opportunities, good education and training, and the challenge.
 
Being in the pilot seat just felt like home. As a military brat I always knew I want to serve because I couldn't see myself with out my future brothers and sisters. Couldn't see myself in a job where I didn't help people. So I needed to choose a job in the military that I enjoyed, could work towards, and fight with every last breathe. Again flying felt like home, a rare feeling for me.

So those points are why I choose air force among other reasons ( stable job etc etc). Why USAFA? I'm a fighter always have been. I want a challenge, I want to be the best, because best me means better person to help others. So I need like minded people. Fellow peers who wanted to see me succeed so we could challenge each other even more. I've never cared for a "normal college experience." I want improve, learn new skills, and meet people I could help and they could help me. I don't mind losing or failure, I do mind stagnating. When I mess up I learn where I went wrong and correct it. I can already tell my peers at NWP are like this too and we haven't met in person yet. They want to win like I do, but are ready to make some mistakes to improve. This drive is strongest at USAFA.

I would have gone ROTC and found other people with ambition like I do ( but not ambitious people took reading General Lorenz's leadership book to finally learn the difference), but now I don't have to.

I'll take on the challenges presented to me, fail, get back up and try till I and my wingmen succeed. Simple. That's why I want to go Service academy and why I fight for it.
 
I am the grandson of a career army officer and the son of a career air force officer and I wanted to fly this:

Lakenheath Hun.jpg
My next-door neighbor (a young captain) told me when I asked how he became an F-100D pilot: "I went to a school called the Air Force Academy, then I went to Columbus, and then I went to Luke."

I wrote a letter to the academy and said "I want to be an F-100D pilot and fly here at RAF Lakenheath. I was told I have to start at Air Force Academy. How do I do that?" A month or so later I received a letter from a colonel telling me he thought my idea was just great BUT...I needed to wait a little bit as I had to finish high school first. He said the academy would welcome my application in 1977. He also sent me the catalog for the academy.

Now, why did I tell you that? Because if you're going to choose to compete for an appointment to one of the SA's, you have to want it, that badly! It's not a fun process, it's frustrating, and there are times you'll just say "the heck with this, ROTC is so much easier to apply for (it really isn't) and you may give up. Don't, IF you've truly got the desire.

FYI...the catalog I still have on my bookshelf is the 1966-1967 catalog, the letter is in my important documents file: I was 7 years old.

I wanted to fly and specifically the F-100D! And that meant I needed to be an air force officer and pilot and that's what I set my sights on. That was my focus until I eventually was offered the appointment many years later. Why the academy? Because that's where my neighbor (he let me "start-up his jet and taxi it out of his hanger onto the ramp", but that's another story) said I had to go to be like him. And then, after my father was assigned to the academy, I confirmed in my mind that the academy experience was something I just wanted.

Of course, by the time I became an AF pilot the only F-100D's left were flying as target drones. Fortunately, I was never tasked to shoot one down. I think it would have broken my heart.
 
flieger83 said:
I am the grandson of a career army officer and the son of a career air force officer and I wanted to fly this:

View attachment 9621
My next-door neighbor (a young captain) told me when I asked how he became an F-100D pilot: "I went to a school called the Air Force Academy, then I went to Columbus, and then I went to Luke."

I wrote a letter to the academy and said "I want to be an F-100D pilot and fly here at RAF Lakenheath. I was told I have to start at Air Force Academy. How do I do that?" A month or so later I received a letter from a colonel telling me he thought my idea was just great BUT...I needed to wait a little bit as I had to finish high school first. He said the academy would welcome my application in 1977. He also sent me the catalog for the academy.

Now, why did I tell you that? Because if you're going to choose to compete for an appointment to one of the SA's, you have to want it, that badly! It's not a fun process, it's frustrating, and there are times you'll just say "the heck with this, ROTC is so much easier to apply for (it really isn't) and you may give up. Don't, IF you've truly got the desire.

FYI...the catalog I still have on my bookshelf is the 1966-1967 catalog, the letter is in my important documents file: I was 7 years old.

I wanted to fly and specifically the F-100D! And that meant I needed to be an air force officer and pilot and that's what I set my sights on. That was my focus until I eventually was offered the appointment many years later. Why the academy? Because that's where my neighbor (he let me "start-up his jet and taxi it out of his hanger onto the ramp", but that's another story) said I had to go to be like him. And then, after my father was assigned to the academy, I confirmed in my mind that the academy experience was something I just wanted.

Of course, by the time I became an AF pilot the only F-100D's left were flying as target drones. Fortunately, I was never tasked to shoot one down. I think it would have broken my heart.
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This made me like you even more. Great story and insight.
 
I have posted this before but it fits in here. DD wanted discipline, time management, a guaranteed job with responsibility immediately after graduation, and the opportunity to serve and be part of something important. Fully military. This profile left the SAs, VMI, The Citadel and Mass Maritime. She had no idea of which one she preferred or what "job" she wanted. Upon hearing this, the MOC said "you're going to Kings Point for the options." What she eventually after chose to do is irrelevant to the initial question.
 
Two Navy MIDN staying at my house right now, both of which parents could afford paying for a normal college, so cost not a factor.

MIDN 1: Serve the country, play D1 Sports, Campus/DTA, Uniforms better than other services, Navy EOD and other Special Ops.
MIDN 2: Serve, location, fly, success in military or in commercial world (Mid career USNA grads in top pay quartile).

Both are half way through and doing very well.
 
Don't Give Up the Ship said:
Two Navy MIDN staying at my house right now, both of which parents could afford paying for a normal college, so cost not a factor.

MIDN 1: Serve the country, play D1 Sports, Campus/DTA, Uniforms better than other services, Navy EOD and other Special Ops.
MIDN 2: Serve, location, fly, success in military or in commercial world (Mid career USNA grads in top pay quartile).

Both are half way through and doing very well.
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Happy I don't have your grocery bill.
 
Amazing young men that eat a lot. They've been bridge jumping into a river, boat tubing (somewhat like water ski), swimming from Sandy Neck Beach, board skimming and watching women at the beach! One going to USMC training and the other going to NOLS in a few days. 0900, they are finally out to the rack...now they went for a run. Both preparing for EOD & NSW screeners.
 
My DS, currently at PS with the USNA class of ‘25 choose to pursue SA for two reasons: learn from the best and serve with the best. He had options for USAFA, USNA and AFROTC at Harvard. Ultimately he chose USNA because he felt the culture fit him better and he has desire at some point after being in the fleet as a SWO to transition the JAG corps like his Grandfather. The lack of student loans and guaranteed job after graduation were also motivators.
 
My oldest was leaning towards his NROTC scholarship. Great opportunity. Great school. Then he has a convo with his Uncle. A retired Air Force Captain (via AFROTC).

He pointed out the leadership lab aspect. That a SA is a 24/7 leadership lab. I’m everything that they do, they are practicing and developing their leadership. From other GREAT leaders brought on through lectures. From those they encounter daily. Even in their summer trainings. The whole PLACE is deleveloping leaders. Hands down, no better an environment for this.

There was no further thought about accepting. Son #2 has seen this through big brother. Same ROTC opportunities, but the leadership development cannot be matched. That’s why.
 
I didn't even think about the military until about a year after high school. I didn't have much life direction up until this point. I worked at a DVD rental store. I attended community college, but my courses were in disjoint and sporadic subjects. I was struggling to figure out what I wanted to pursue career-wise and how I was going to pay for the rest of a degree once it was time to move on a 4-year institution.

A friend and I got to talking about cool jobs so of course fighter pilot came up. I started researching how to become a fighter pilot and found my path of least resistance started with AF ROTC through my local state university. They rejected me. . . but by that point the idea of joining the Air Force had stuck. I decided to enlist.

Going in I had a cursory knowledge of the AF Academy and the appointment opportunities for enlisted, but in my mind I thought that if I was rejected from a state school's ROTC detachment, then why would they waste their time? I applied anyway.

I never did get that cool fighter pilot job. . .
 
I asked our son today to answer the question the OP posed. He is busy being a tour guide to his older sister but he kindly sent me this. It is a pretty honest reasoning.

“Service academies have their own issues and ups and downs just like any other institution, but they have foundation unlike any other. Amazing network of graduates and mentors, tons of diverse backgrounds and service experience. You know what you're getting when you sign up, vs an ROTC unit that differs entirely from college to college. As for civilian basic non military college, I didn't trust myself to stay motivated or on track. I would probably be 20 pounds heavier and holding much worse grades had I gone to a normal college. It's easy to fail at the academy, but impossible to be lazy, and I liked that. “
 
Heatherg21 said:
I asked our son today to answer the question the OP posed. He is busy being a tour guide to his older sister but he kindly sent me this. It is a pretty honest reasoning.

“Service academies have their own issues and ups and downs just like any other institution, but they have foundation unlike any other. Amazing network of graduates and mentors, tons of diverse backgrounds and service experience. You know what you're getting when you sign up, vs an ROTC unit that differs entirely from college to college. As for civilian basic non military college, I didn't trust myself to stay motivated or on track. I would probably be 20 pounds heavier and holding much worse grades had I gone to a normal college. It's easy to fail at the academy, but impossible to be lazy, and I liked that. “
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Awesome response to a question many candidates probably have. Also good recruiting gouge.
 
I waited and pondered whether or not to post his reply. So many answers revolve around service and family and dreams as young kiddo. Or the idea to be debt free and very hirable and sought after.
I thought our son’s answer to the OP showed a different yet honest and real perspective. Despite what one thinks, not all SA attendees are standouts or beyond reproach or physical gods. Everyone meets their huckleberry there.
 
Heatherg21 said:
I waited and pondered whether or not to post his reply. So many answers revolve around service and family and dreams as young kiddo. Or the idea to be debt free and very hirable and sought after.
I thought our son’s answer to the OP showed a different yet honest and real perspective. Despite what one thinks, not all SA attendees are standouts or beyond reproach or physical gods. Everyone meets their huckleberry there.
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Everyone joined for different reasons it's what makes us bring different perspectives. This answer has no final answer, but op probably is waiting to see if he/her/their reason is legit or true with anyone else's. Or at most, looking of a reason to call their own.

So thank you for posting what your DS said, a giving that different view. May not always be welcomed to some, but always worth it.
 
My DD went to the local "Women in Aviation day" with her Girl Scout troop in seventh grade. She got to ride in a little four seat Cessna and completely lost her heart to flying. "I'm going to be a pilot."
"Great," I said. "Which branch?"
She gave the the cocked head, narrow eyebrow look of the confused.
"Learning to fly costs a hundred thousand dollars that I don't have, or you can learn in the military. So which branch?"
An hour passes and she comes back with "Air Force, I guess."
"Did you look at the Coast Guard?"
She returned a bit later with a huge grin and said "I'm going to fly for the Coast Guard!"

She reported to new London about three weeks ago, six years after that date but not an inch away from the original goal. So far, so good.
 
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StPaulDad said:
My DD went to the local "Women in Aviation day" with her Girl Scout troop in seventh grade. She got to ride in a little four seat Cessna and completely lost her heart to flying. "I'm going to be a pilot."
"Great," I said. "Which branch?"
She gave the the cocked head, narrow eyebrow look of the confused.
"Learning to fly costs a hundred thousand dollars that I don't have, or you can learn in the military. So which branch?"
An hour passes and she comes back with "Air Force, I guess."
"Did you look at the Coast Guard?"
She returned a bit later with a huge grin and said "I'm going to fly for the Coast Guard!"

She reported to new London about three weeks ago, six years after that date but not an inch away from the original goal. So far, so good.
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Gave me goosebumps
 
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