Events at the Academy
The U.S. Air Force Academy proudly boasts state of the art facilities and world-class personnel resources. Our Mission Elements such as Cadet Wing, 10th Air Base Wing and the Preparatory School as well as off-base, non-affiliated organizations frequently hold a wide variety of events at our installation including concerts, athletic competitions, civic events, fund-raising events, educational programs, and more.
Many recurring events, hosted by Academy organizations are primarily intended for Academy personnel and/or cadets. Others might be requested by external organizations for Department of Defense (DoD) and non-DoD organizations.
Due to the Academy’s limited resources and the high volume of both requested events, all events are vetted and reviewed for adherence to DoD 5500.07-R, Joint Ethics Regulation (JER), the Superintendent’s guidance of facility use, and for the Operations Director’s guidance for event support.
Event Request Submission Guidance:
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- The event requestor should contact USAFA/A3O at usafa.events@afacademy.af.edu or (719) 333-6724/4148 at which time an event request form will be provided as required.
- Event planners should complete and return their application to USAFA/A3O. Once received, a member of the Operations Team will respond in within 6 business days. Applications should be submitted no later than 90 days prior to the event’s start date.
- Event requests received within 90 days of event execution may be denied due to reduced time in vetting the event and overall planning coordination.
- Fundraising events will receive additional vetting and legal review for compliance with USAFAI 51-902, Fundraising and On-Base Solicitation, and must be approved by 10th Air Base Wing.
- If the requested event passes initial review, USAFA/A3O will provide an event logistics checklist and point of contact list to assist with event planning and coordination. The event logistics checklist must be completed and returned no later than 21 days prior to the event date to ensure sufficient coordination has been accomplished with the event’s supporting organizations at the Academy. Our supporting organizations include logistics such as transportation, audio/video support, venue coordination, and Cadet Wing support.
Important notes
Do not obligate funds for this event until approval has been received. If the event request includes participation from Academy senior leadership (e.g., Superintendent, Commandant of Cadets, Dean of Faculty), this should be communicated in the initial request with USAFA/A3O.
Frequently Asked Questions
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I am with an outside agency, what priority will my event have?
There are several tiers of events at the Academy: internal, external, and venue.
Internal events: Events organized and hosted by Academy organizations for Academy personnel or cadets as part of their mission or responsibility, receive the highest logistical support and priority.
External events: Events requested by an outside agency requiring use of Academy facilities, grounds, personnel, or other resources receive the lowest logistical support and priority. Non-Academy organizations requesting to hold their events at our installation are still considered external regardless of any prior coordination with Academy supporting organizations and personnel.
Venue events: Events that are within the normal function of a particular on-base venue, such as meetings, conferences, or banquets held at the Association of Graduates (AOG) Doolittle Hall, wedding ceremonies at the Cadet Chapel, and funeral services at our cemetery. All our venues have their own requirements and process for hosting or supporting activities. Logistic support priority for venue events is equivalent to that of external events.
Please note that regulation may prohibit certain types of USAFA logistic support for venue events. For example, official government transportation cannot be used for AOG events, weddings, etc.
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What are Air Force Academy Athletic Corporation (AFAAC) events?
Air Force Academy Athletic Corporation (AFAAC) hosts events to support our Athletic Department, to generate the necessary revenue to support our intercollegiate athletics and to promote the Academy through athletic events.
AFAAC will hold events on the Academy such as wrestling tournaments, bicycle races, and other selected events. AFAAC events are governed by USAFA/AFAAC and USAFA/DoD Licensing agreements, however they are subject to USAFA/A3 approval if the event has more than 1,000 total attendees or more than 300 total DoD cardholders.
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Will there be any assistance in the event approval process?
Yes, the Operations Team will assist event requestors as necessary. This support ranges from providing contact information to more in-depth assistance depending on the event’s size and scope.
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Can I charge admission fees?
Normally admission fees cannot be charged (beyond what will cover the reasonable costs of sponsoring the event) for events held at the Academy. If you wish to charge admission to your event, notify USAFA/A3O at the time of submission for additional vetting.
Note: AFAAC is exempted from this requirement per 10 USC 9462 and may charge admission fees as required.
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Will my event be charged for facility usage?
A determination of any charges for external events will be completed during the vetting process, and event planners will be notified of those charges once the vetting has completed. Typically, non-DoD organizations will be charged a fair market value for the usage of any facility at the Academy.
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What are scheduling blackouts?
The Academy hosts many internal events every year which require the use of a majority of our support capability. We are unable to approve requests for events during the time leading up to and through the execution of one of these large events. Likewise, USAFA/A3O will not approve events that conflict with Institutional Events or certain military and academic activities.
These events include but are not limited to: Preparatory School Graduation (mid-May), Cadet Graduation (typically the week which includes Memorial Day Weekend), Cadet In-processing Day (end of June or beginning of July), and the day of home football games.