United States Air Force Academy

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Government Shutdown Impact Information

U.S. Air Force Academy mostly empty terrazzo.

Learn how the government shutdown is affecting services and facilities at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Help is available for Airmen, Guardians, civilians to mitigate lapse in appropriations impact. In addition there are programs and agencies providing financial and subsistence aid to affected military and civilian personnel in the local Colorado Springs area.

As a result of the government shutdown, the following departments at the U.S. Air Force Academy will be affected:

 

HEADQUARTERS

Visitor Center

  • Visitor Center will not be staffed and the movie won’t be showing. However, visitors can still walk through exhibits and take a map to embark on a self-guided tour.
  • The Fanatics team store remains open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Planetarium

  • Planetarium will cancel all public shows.
  • Shows for scheduled STEM visits from schools and centers will continue as planned.

External Platforms/Communications

  • Social media and website will only be updated in the event of an emergency.
  • KAFA radio will stream music; no cadet shows
  • Alexa App will not be updated.

Admissions

Staff Judge Advocate

  • Legal Assistance appointments and walk-in notary services are limited to active duty members who are deploying personnel and for emergencies.

 

10 AIR BASE WING

Security and safety

  • Defenders and firefighters are exempted; they are on post and on shifts under normal schedules.
  • Ambulance services are contracted and remain on shift and on site.

Medical

  • Military personnel are on regular shifts, some key civilian providers and practitioners are exempted and will continue seeing patients and taking appointments.
  • There will be impacts to provider and appointment accessibility.
  • If possible, people will be referred to the Front Range provider network.
  • Pharmacy operations service speeds will be degraded.

Dining facilities

  • High Country Inn and Mitchell Hall will operate as normal.

Force Support and MWR Programs

  • Child Development Centers operate as normal
  • Community Center Library is CLOSED
  • Community Center Fitness Center OPEN via 24 hours access card only (Pool & Sauna CLOSED)
  • MPF remains open for processing identification cards, DEERS updates, etc. during normal operating hours (Mon-Fri, 8 am – 4:30 pm). Walk ins only. Active Duty & DoD Civilians have priority. Delayed wait time expected.
  • Most MWR programs remain open
  • Mortuary Affairs is exempted, and the Casualty Assistance Representative can be recalled in an emergent situation
  • Airman & Family Readiness Center is open (Mon-Fri, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Appointments only – Casualty/SBP, Readiness, Financial Counseling, MFLC, VA Advisor. All other programs paused.
  • Arnold Hall will open at 7 a.m. and close at Taps (regular opening hours) but no theater support will be available.
  • Food court operates as normal (e.g. Subway, Polaris Perk, Dominoes, etc.)
  • Cadet Media operates as normal
  • Cadet Barber Shops operate as normal
  • Cadet dorm management operates as normal
  • Tailor shop, cadet dry cleaning, cadet laundry service, cadet gym laundry remain open

 

LOGISTICS (No military personnel assigned)
  • Impacted and service degraded
  • Personnel supporting deployers are exempted and will be supporting readiness & deployment functions
  • Some services are contracted and will operate as normal

 

CONTRACTING (No military personnel assigned)
  • Limited excepted contracting personnel are available to support excepted mission activities
  • Non-excepted contracts that are funded prior to expiration of appropriations and have trained Government oversight may continue performance during the shutdown
  • No new contracts, contract extensions, option exercises, or new task or delivery orders may be executed, unless the contract action is supporting an “excepted” activity
  • Stop work order may be issued to contractor if there is no trained Government personnel (COR) to perform oversight or access to worksite is restricted due to furlough

 

EXCHANGE & COMMISSARY
  • All Exchange facilities are operating normal hours.
  • Commissaries (DECA) are open and operating at normal hours.

 

DRUG DEMAND REDUCTION PROGRAM / URINALYSIS TESTING
  • Operates normally

 

CHAPLAINCY
  • Minimal impacts: services and support functions will operate as normal

 

CIVIL ENGINEER
  • Work order process will operate as normal
  • Engineering projects will operate as normal
  • Environmental programs will operate as normal
  • Emergency Management are exempted and will operate as normal

 

DEAN OF FACULTY

Teaching

  • Laboratory-based education continues to be impacted as classes are combined into larger sections.
  • Mid-semester academic progress reports for cadets will be suspended.

Library

  • McDermott Library Hours until further notice:
  • Monday-Thursday: 7 a.m.-9 p.m.
  • Friday: 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
  • Saturday: Closed
  • Sunday: 1-9 p.m.

Academic Success Center

  • Quantitative Reasoning Center appointments available (math and physics): Monday-Thursday: 4 – 8:30 p.m.
  • Writing Center appointments available: Monday-Thursday: 3:30-8:30 p.m.

 

ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT

Physical Education Classes

  • Will continue as scheduled

Fitness and Testing

  • Will pause during the government shutdown

Intramurals

  • Will pause during the government shutdown

Intercollegiate Competitions

  • All Air Force Academy home and away intercollegiate athletic events will continue.
  • Please refer to https://goairforcefalcons.com/ for more information on Air Force Athletics

Facilities

  • Athletic Facilities will remain open for cadet use only.
  • Facility maintenance and equipment repair are contract and will remain open.