Forum gives inside look on becoming a cadet

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Vann Miller
  • Academy Public Affairs
U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. --  The Academy Admissions Office hosted the Colorado Admissions Forum Aug. 23-24 here featuring a congressional liaison, former cadets and Academy staff to give nearly 600 high school students and their parents an up-close glimpse of all the Academy offers to prospective candidates.

Among the event speakers was Ellen Cesarone, a representative from Rep. Mike Coffman's office, who explained the congressional nomination processes for applying cadets, and former cadets who shared stories about cadet life.

"The forum provided a lot of useful information on the application process," said Airman 1st Class Justin Turowski of the Academy's Financial Service Office. "Overall, it was an excellent source of information with a balanced recruiter's pitch to draw people to the Academy."

A significant difference between the Academy and other colleges is the importance of character and integrity, said Col. Rob Widmann of Kirtland Air Force Base, who attended the two-day forum with his son.

"It was good to hear and see so much about the Academy firsthand," Widmann said. "The forum made an overwhelming process a bit easier to understand."

The Academy's mission of producing lieutenants for the nation makes these forums critcal, said Lt. Col. Keith Dastur of the Admissions Office.

"We seek young men and women who possess the attributes to successfully complete the Academy experience by developing into officers of character and leaders serving the Air Force and nation," he said.

The next forum is scheduled Sept. 14 in Chicago. For more information, visit www.academyadmissions.com.