My Son is Heading to the U.S Air Force Academy
He will major in physics and hopes to be involved in developing the space program.
I wanted to share some wonderful news with our Legal Insurrection family.
Back in 2012, when I began writing for College Insurrection, I worried about where my son would be heading to college. Between his independent conservative attitude, mature work ethic, and love of logic and reason, there seemed to be a limited number of options that would be a good match for his full potential.
Thanks to your support of his Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps efforts, Blake has received an offer of appointment to the US Air Force Academy (USAFA) and has accepted. He is planning to major in physics and is hoping to participate in the development of the military space program.
The photo above was taken at the Congressional Nomination Acceptance ceremony given in our district, hosted by Representative Scott Peters (CA52). Pictured with Blake is Air Force Academy Liaison Officer Phillip Alpert, who was a bedrock of support throughout the complicated and lengthy academy application process.
I want to take the opportunity to thank Peters’ staff and volunteers for their assistance as well. The nomination selection was entirely devoid of politics, and it was a quest for excellence on the part of the nominating committee. Anyone who has a son or daughter considering a service academy can take heart, knowing that party preference plays no role in this step.
I also want to express my profound appreciation to all the Legal Insurrection readers who have supported Blake’s path through NJROTC. I am not sure he would have taken this path, but for the experiences he gained through this excellent program.
I look forward to continuing to update everyone on my son’s career at USAFA. I suspect it will be free of protests, Trump Derangement Syndrome, grievance studies, and gender questioning that are an inherent part of other institutions.
This seems like a proper place to share this clip of President Donald Trump speaking at the most recent USAFA graduation.
I find myself remembering all the small moments that set Blake on this track. His love of space initially came from our visit to the Ruben H. Fleet Museum in San Diego, when it hosted an excellent exhibit on space exploration of the gas giants and the New Horizons Mission. We subsequently visited every planetarium we could.
Perhaps one of the most profound moments came when we visited Cape Canaveral in 2011, and we witnessed the last space shuttle launch.
His first film passions were “Star Wars” and “Star Trek;” however, he eventually joined his mom in becoming an even bigger “Stargate SG1” fan. Happily, my plans for Blake to become the first captain of Space Fleet are right on track…as soon as he tells me all about the interstellar gate that the USAF is guarding.
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Comments
Congratulations (and IT’S FREE).
Not really. It requires a minimum of a 5-year commitment to the service as an officer. (And, if you drop out, after a certain point, there’s a term of enlistment as an airman.)
I’m not certain of now, but it used to also use up your GI Bill college benefit.
My son graduated from West Point without any student loans and a job. He had several friends over $100k in debt and unemployed.
Congrats. Remember that the military academies are about training and creating warfighters. With the Space Force– maybe more star trek than Houston control center.
Congratulations. Wonderful achievement.
I know what it takes to get into one of our academies so congratulations to all of you for your hard work! That includes mom and dad too!
Congratulations to you and your son!
Enjoyed your talk last night.
I am sorry that I don’t think I got a chance to say hello personally. The authors divided and conquered last night. It was so incredible, meeting so many wonderful people. Thank you so much!!
Congratulations to your son and to you, too. Whether his ultimate choice is physics or he chooses one of the engineering disciplines, he’s off to a really good start.
Great news, and I offer my heartiest best wishes.
Congratulations to all! BIG achievement!
You should both be very proud as this is a the first of his adult-level achievements (I know he is still your little boy but the AF knows how to make him into an adult and they will). You will witness a wonderful transformation. He will be living his dream and I suspect you will be (and are) too.
Congratulations to you both and a Thank You to those people who helped you get here.
Wow! Getting in at the very start the US Space Corps. Exciting!
Congrats!
I went to the Naval Academy myself.
You’ll have to give us a report how bad the SJW nonsense has gotten at Air Force. I’ve heard its ridiculous these days at all 3 service academies.
My son recently announced that he wants to go to Annapolis. He is waiting to hear about the 1 week summer internship where prospects spend a week there looking at the academy while the academy takes a long look at them. Only downside so far was not seeing Berkeley educated Mom’s face hearing this news, or seeing her face when she learned it was a surprise to me and that I had nothing to do with it. Win Win
Oberlin + Berkeley = Naval Academy? Must be a part of “the new math.”
Sadly none of the services, or their academies, have escaped political correctness.
I remember reading about an officer candidate flashing his Marxist t-shirt at a recent graduation ceremony (I forget which academy). Back in the day he would have gotten a “blanket party” repeatedly until he washed out. They’re like a disease and they need to be rooted out of our institutions and our society. By force if necessary.
Less than a year after Rapone’s images drew a firestorm of vitriol and even death threats, the second lieutenant who became known as the “commie cadet” is officially out of the U.S. Army with an other-than-honorable discharge.
This is the Commie of the USMA who claimed to be an active Communist. He was one of the most loathsome people I have ever seen. He took a slot at the academy that a patriot would have loved to have. He was officially kicked out of the Army in June of 2018.
The article describing what happened is here:
https://apnews.com/57a1fd1e2df84cfdb2fc51375815444f/Army-splits-with-West-Point-grad-who-touted-communist-revolt
That’s what I was going to suggest as well. My daughter graduated from the Air Force Academy some years back and I was surprised at all the SJW nonsense that had permeated the Academy.
Congratulations! All the best in your future as an officer of Space Force!
– from a Kings Point wife
Congratulations and all the best. The junior ROTC programs around the country are helping build leadership skills and self discipline in a generation that is facing much more of an uphill battle with all the distractions today’s culture and fast changing communication environment. My own grandson has benefited from the NJROTC program at his school and is starting at Embry Riddle U in the fall in Aerospace Engineering. Highly recommend high school Junior ROTC programs to other parents with children entering high school
Congrats from ’88!
Be warned, it will not be without politics. If he stays strong and eschews that, he will do well.
Congratulations!!!!
Also congrats from ’84! Welcome Blake, to the long blue line.
Congratulations! What a great achievement. You must be very proud. The Air Force Academy is a beautiful place.
I spent the best 9 1/2 years of my life in the Air Force.
Congratulations – best of luck to him and I know he’ll enjoy the beautiful Colorado Springs area.
Most excellent! Where you start off in a career has enormous implication with how that career goes.
Compare and contrast the education and value of a degree from the AF Academy vs a certificate from Oberlin or maybe Amherst.
Wonderful opportunity and a good choice.
If there was one movie to watch before going to the Air Force Academy it would not be Star Wars, Star Trek or Star Gate. It would be the Right Stuff. Not a great movie.
With any luck, the USAFA will burn the SF geekery out of him and put him on the path to being a real engineer.
There’s some classic literary SF that I’d recommend to a serious science student – the Sector General series, for one, and Andre Norton’s Solar Queen. But none of those three.
Congratulations!!
Two comments, though:
* First — Physics?? Nooooooooo!! Mathematics!!
* Second — Tell your son to avoid sexy green women.
Better yet, avoid all DEM Women.
But especially the green ones.
Congratulations, well done
Outstanding!
Congratulations!
I was among those who heard the news directly from the beautiful Leslie last evening at the Legal Insurrection get together here in L.A.
Leslie, thanks to your son for his commitment to our future.
Almost gave you a down vote out of jealousy… But that would have been wrong.
It was a real pleasure meeting you. I hope we can schedule another, similar event soon again.
Such great news! Kudos to his parents and a big well done to him! I wish him a huge future in the new Space Force!
True awesomeness!
As the father of a son in the US Army in Germany right now, I know how proud you feel. Grats!
Soar high, Blake!
Job well done……
Congratulations… I was nice to meet and talk with you lat evening.
(I’m the old cowboy.)
A cowboy, yes. Old…NO! It was great talking with you, too. Thanks for joining us.
You must be very proud. And you should be.
Congratulations! That is exciting news!
CONGRATS!!!!
MORE WINNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congrats. Pacific Missile Range was recently selected as a Space Force base. Tell him he will like Kauai.
I’ve been to Barking Sands as well. Very nice base. Kauai is beautiful but can get a little slow once you’ve seen and done it all.
Congratulations!! Wonderful news!! He seems to be a fine young man and you have every right to be proud!
Good news is a rare thing.. now a days.. You must be busting your buttons with pride in that fine young man…
Physics is a great foundation… That was my major, which lead to EE… all those decades ago… Hope it serves him well.
Physics is phun.
Congratulations!!!!
Color me seriously impressed. US Air Force is the best. As a 2nd lieutenant he will be the lowest rank of anyone—he will have to salute everyone below and above him. Haha Congratulations on raising a winner!!
Congratulations to you and your son, Leslie!
Quite an accomplishment.
Congratulations to you and to the Cadet.
Good job, mom!
Thanks for sharing. Now we all can say that we knew General Eastman when he was just a doolie.
Being an Air Force officer is a great career and an exciting life. He chose wisely. The years ahead will seem long and tiring, but stick it out and remember what caused you to want to commission in the first place.
Congratulations to you both!
That is wonderful news. Way to go.
Thank him for what he is willing to do for or country
We will look forward to lots of pics and updates
starting with his first day.
WONDERFUL! Congrats to all. 😀