Air Force Football: Veterans Day Edition

Falcons Fly on and Off the Field Integrity First. Service Before Self. Excellence in All We Do. Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire The Air Force football team has began to garner a lot of attention as a contender in the Mountain West Conference. You …

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Falcons Fly on and Off the Field

Integrity First. Service Before Self. Excellence in All We Do. 

Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire

The Air Force football team has began to garner a lot of attention as a contender in the Mountain West Conference. You would be hard pressed to anoint a hotter team in either division of the Conference, and that includes Boise State.

In spite of an early season loss to the aforementioned Broncos, and a heart-wrenching defeat at the hands of bitter rival, Midshipmen, the Falcons have rallied. Last week they gutted out a hard fought win against their Service Academy rivals from West Point. And prior to that, they took their previous four conference opponents to task, routing virtually all of them.

The Falcons now sit at 7-2, remain undefeated at home and are bowl eligible with three games remaining. They also own the second most efficient offense in the country and to no-ones surprise, have committed the fewest penalties per game in all of college football. So you can see why there is a lot of excitement earning attention for the Air Force football program.

More than Just a (REALLY GOOD) Football Program

The Air Force Academy’s Mission is “to educate, train and inspire men and women to become officers of character motivated to lead the United States Air Force in service to our Nation.”. Their Vision is “The Air Force’s premier institution for developing Leaders of Character”. These are so much more than football players, students or educators.

During the Mountain West Conference’s Media Day’s in the pre-season, Coach Troy Calhoun said one single goal stands above all others at his program, and that is to graduate as many seniors to serve as officers as possible. Well done coach, well done. At the conclusion of the academic year, Calhoun will have overseen another 30+ seniors to graduation. There are some terrific athletes at the Air Force (Army and Naval) Academies, but these are even better women and men.

For perspective, the three Military Academies are a combined 16-7 this season against non-military schools. These are officers in training, who happen to play football on top of a schedule that includes full-time military training while completing one of the most demanding academic curriculum in the country. Football is the “easiest” part of their day.

I don’t bring this up to diminish the many outstanding scholar-athletes that make up the NCAA landscape at non-military schools. I don’t think it can be overstated though, how impressive it is that these young men and women- specific to this article, the Falcon Football team; are not just able to participate or compete, but to excel and succeed on the gridiron.

Let me be clear; I am not a military Veteran myself. But I do have this privilege of covering the Air Force Falcons football team, which I love. And I am so incredibly Blessed to have this platform to thank all of those who are serving and have served this Great Nation. Because of your commitment and sacrifices, I enjoy leisure such as this, freedom to pursue more, and most importantly the Freedom to Glorify my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, whom I pray to with gratitude for your Blessing and Protection. Thank you, thank you, thank you to all you Veterans.

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