Engine donation

Cadet 1st Class Ryan Kolesar secures a scale model of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle to a pylon in an Academy Aeronautics Lab wind tunnel for NASA. The Academy was ranked No. 1 in the nation by high school guidance counselors and second in the nation in aeronautical and astronautical engineering by U.S. News and World Report. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Mike Kaplan)

Academy responders assist with Beaver Creek Fire

A helicopter dumps water on a section of the Beaver Creek fire Aug. 19, 2011. The fire burned approximately 100 acres north of the Air Force Academy before it was extinguished. Firefighters from the Tri-Lakes and Air Force Academy fire departments helped fight the blaze. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan)

Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel

A 1,200-pound cross is suspended above the pulpit in the Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel's Protestant worship area in this photo taken Aug. 22, 2011. The cross, made from aluminum, stands 46 feet, 2 inches in height and 12 feet in width. The Cadet Chapel houses separate worship spaces for Protestants, Catholics, Jews, Buddhists and Muslims, with a nearby outdoor worship areas for followers of Earth-Centered Spirituality. (U.S. Air Force photo/Don Branum)

Pine Beetles

(U.S. Air Force Photo Illustration by Mark Watkins)

Security updates to airfield alter Kettle Lakes access

An entry control point on Airfield Drive near the Air Force Academy's Pass and Registration center restricts access to some of the Kettle Lakes on base. Fishers with a handicap permit may contact the Academy's natural resources office to request a pass that will open the gate. (U.S. Air Force photo/Don Branum)

Air Force Academy holds Independence Day bash

Fireworks illuminate the night sky above Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colo., during the Air Force Academy's Independence Day celebration July 4, 2011. More than 20,000 visitors came to see the nearly 30-minute fireworks show as well as performances by the Colorado Springs Philharmonic and the Air Force Academy Band. (U.S. Air Force photo/Megan Davis)

Fire Department

U.S. Air Force Academy firefighters respond to a fire in military family housing. The Academy Fire Department was recently named the Air Force's medium-sized fire department of the the year for 2010. (Courtesy Photo)

Warriors in Conversation

Army Sergeant Jeremy Madrid, bottom left, speaks to cadets in Sijan Hall’s Oasis. Wounded Warriors Sergeant Madrid, First Lt. Jason Mazzella, behind Madrid, and Specialist Brandon Rethmel ,center, from Fort Carson’s Warrior Transition Unit shared their expriences of war with cadets.

There's an app for that

The U.S.Air Force Academy released an app Wednesday, April, 6, 2011. The app is a free download available in the iTunes App Store and the Android Market.

There's an app for that

The U.S.Air Force Academy released an app Wednesday, April, 6, 2011. The app is a free download available in the iTunes App Store and the Android Market.

Fixing the Academy

Construction workers strip insulation from a portion of Vandenberg Hall at the Air Force Academy Jan. 12, 2011, as part of a massive renovation project to improve quality of life for cadets at the Academy. The fifth and sixth phases of construction are scheduled to be finished in June and December, respectively. The total cost for both phases is $35.1 million. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan)

Fixing the Academy

A construction worker stands atop scaffolding outside Fairchild Hall at the Air Force Academy Jan. 11, 2011. Repairs to the roof on Fairchild Hall will continue through October with an estimated cost of $4.3 million. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan)