The Cadet Chapel, US Air Force Academy

Colorado Springs, CO

August 5, 2015 Wednesday

The United States Air Force Academy (also known as USAFA or Air Force Academy), is a military academy for officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States. The Academy's stated mission is "to educate, train, and inspire men and women to become leaders of character, motivated to lead the United States Air Force in service to our nation." It is the youngest of the five United States service academies, having graduated its first class in 1959. Graduates of the Academy's four-year program receive a Bachelor of Science degree, and are commissioned as second lieutenants in the United States Air Force.

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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.
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 most striking aspect of the Chapel is its row of seventeen spires. The original design called for nineteen spires, but this number was reduced due to budget issues.

Worship areas: The Cadet Chapel was designed specifically to house three distinct worship areas under a single roof. Inspired by chapels at Sainte-Chapelle in France and the Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi in Italy, architect Walter Netsch stacked the spaces on two main levels. The Protestant nave is located on the upper level, while the Catholic and Jewish chapels and a Buddhist room are located beneath it. Beneath this level is a larger room used for Islamic services and two meeting rooms. Each chapel has its own entrance, and services may be held simultaneously without interfering with one another.

There is also "All-faiths rooms". The All-Faiths Rooms are worship areas for smaller religious groups. They are purposely devoid of religious symbolism so that they may be used by a variety of faiths. Distinguishing faith-specific accoutrements are available for each group to use during their worship services.




On the way to the Cadet Chapel. At left and right beyond the fence is the school building, forbidden to enter for us.



Back Row (left to right, standing): 백정현, 유정자 (Mrs. 강명석), 서치원, 김용훈, 유승엽,
정경배 (Mrs. 김용훈), 제영혜, 유혜연, 박용선, 남종우.  Front Row (sitting): 강명식, 김성수, 구시완, 한정희 (Mrs. 남종우)











The Giant pipe organ over the entrance.



Praying area in the front.



The entrance. The first floor entrance under the stairways. The Protestant nave is located on the upper level, while the Catholic and Jewish chapels and a Buddhist room are located beneath it.
The impressive seventeen spires of the chapel rise high against blur Colorado sky.

Extra Notes: Visitors are allowed to enter only the cadet chapel and visitor center. In order to enter the school buildings, we had to pass another security gate that was off-limit for us. In mid-August, I had a chance to get into the school buildings under the escort of a fineart professor of the USAFA. I was allowed to take pictures. All cadets (sudents) were in full military uniforms during the school hours. I was so intimidated that I did not take pictures of them. Below are a few pictures of mine.

The Air Force Academy has about 4,000 students. Each class has about 1,000 students.
There are a lot of female cadets.




USAFA Visitor Center. General public is allowed here after security checks, however, we bypassed here due to lack of time for the day.

Inside the visitor center, a large gift shop and some military displays and a theater for tourists.

Outside of the visitor center. The mountain range in the background is the western boundary of the USAFA, the Rampart Range in the eastern edge of the Rockies. I met the professor here and entered the second security gate in her car.



This is the school cafeteria that feeds 4,000 students at one time and is supposed to be the largest dinning room in the world.



The vastness of the school campus is very impressive. I guess the number one air force in the world should deserve such facilities.
There are two 18-hole championship golf courses that is one of the best 100 in USA.
These are open to public with security check. Naturally, of course, there is one airport, football and soccer fields.




There are two dormitory buildings that house 2,000 students each. This is one of them.