No matter your chosen path within the Air Force, you will face some challenges on a daily basis, including:

• Technological advances
• Increased demands for innovative resource management
• The continuing pledge to guard and defend our national goals

Which path is right for you?

Take a look at the opportunities our Cadets look forward to after the Academy. As the graduation date draws near, qualified experts are available to explain each specialty in detail to help match Cadets’ talents and desires with Air Force needs.

Flight Careers
60% of Academy graduates are usually selected for flight careers, such as Fighter Pilot; Navigator; or Air Battle Manager. Others may serve in one of four non-flying categories.

Healthcare Careers
Assignments depend on academic qualifications that are completed only after graduation from the Academy.

In order to pursue a career as a healthcare professional, Academy graduates must attend the appropriate healthcare education program (such as medical school). Only about 3% of Academy graduates go on to attend continued healthcare education.

Legal Careers
The Air Force currently has no provision for graduating cadets to enter directly into law school. Congress has authorized the Air Force to enter a small number of active duty Air Force officers into law school each year. An Academy graduate, as well as any other Air Force officer, must complete two years of active duty before becoming eligible for consideration.

Other Careers

Space Operations
It has been said that space is the ultimate high ground. If you are interested in space, using space, or even being in this high ground, then the Academy is the place for you! The Air Force Academy is the premier undergraduate institution, educating and training its graduates to understand and exploit space in defense of the United States. From core classes that all cadets take, to advanced classes aimed specifically at building satellites and rockets for Air Force missions, the Academy is a “hotbed” of space activity.

After graduation there are a host of opportunities to actually work in the space career field. Here are a few of the exciting space related careers, and a short description of each:

Space and Missile Operations
Using space capabilities to defend our nation, covers the full spectrum of space related jobs in launch vehicle and launch pad operations, space range control, satellite command and control, orbit analysis, space surveillance or space object tracking, missile warning, space control, and missile combat crew. Space operators perform duties around the world. This career needs people who are technologically savvy—able to manage people and hardware to meet national security objectives. Missile combat crew involves responsibility for the nation’s most powerful weapon system—Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs).

Space Engineers
The space community relies not only on astronautical engineers but mechanical, electrical, environmental, civil, and systems engineers to produce cutting edge systems. The astronautical engineer is uniquely prepared for Air Force duty with space systems as they are specialists in research, design, development, test, and analysis of space technology and aerospace avionics. Space engineers are needed throughout the space community and serve around the United States.

Space Aggressors
Understanding space systems’ vulnerabilities to attack is the job of the Space Aggressor. Highly skilled warriors, they design and participate in war games to better understand our space system’s strengths and weaknesses. From their work we develop next generation systems as well as cutting edge tactics and technology to protect US space assets and defeat enemy space systems. These jobs are located in the Colorado Springs area.

For more information on careers visit the catalog or visit www.airforce.com