USAFA concerns
A resource sorted by subject, with each in reverse chronological order
If the issues discussed at the links below concern you, please comment on any of my posts, I’ll see it.
USAFA civilian/veteran faculty cuts
Air Force Academy cutting 140 positions; majors affected?
July 7, 2025, Colorado Springs Gazette
by Mary Shinn
https://gazette.com/military/usafa/air-force-academy-cutting-140-positions-majors-affected/article_92803457-6bcb-4600-80af-344000b13b28.html
Threats to Gut Educational Programs at Air Force Academy Accelerate
July 4, 2025, Colorado Times Recorder
by Thomas Bewley
https://coloradotimesrecorder.com/2025/07/threats-to-gut-educational-programs-at-air-force-academy-accelerate/71143/
Air Force Academy to erase 140 jobs
July 4, 2025, Colorado Springs Gazette
by Mary Shinn
https://daily.gazette.com/the-colorado-springs-gazette/20250704/281483577384734/textview
Internal email confirms Air Force Academy cutting 140 civilian staff, facing $10 million pay shortage
July 3, 2025, KOAA TV, Colorado Springs
by Brett Forrest
https://www.koaa.com/advocates-of-accountability/internal-email-confirms-air-force-academy-cutting-140-civilian-staff-facing-10-million-pay-shortage
Civilian Workforce Force Shaping
July 1, 2025, internal email, sent broadly to all faculty and staff at USAFA
by Col Steven Hasstedt, acting Dean of Faculty, USAFA
https://www.reddit.com/r/USAFA/comments/1lc1w4l/comment/n12i527/
A blueprint for the efficient and mission-focused modernization of academics at USAFA; USAFA can step forward, or it can step backward, it can not remain as it was.
June 30, 2025, substack
by Thomas Bewley
https://trbewley.substack.com/p/an-abbreviated-blueprint-for-the (abbreviated form)
https://trbewley.substack.com/p/a-blueprint-for-the-efficient-and (complete form)
Sources: Over 50 civilian instructors have already left Air Force Academy with no replacements
aired June 29, 2025 on KOAA TV, Colorado Springs (posted online afterwords)
by Brett Forrest (interview with Thomas Bewley)
https://www.koaa.com/advocates-of-accountability/sources-over-50-civilian-instructors-have-already-left-air-force-academy-with-no-replacements-more-feared
Air Force Academy Dean of Faculty retires as controversial civilian faculty cuts loom
June 2, 2025, KOAA TV, Colorado Springs
by Brett Forrest
https://www.koaa.com/news/covering-colorado/air-force-academy-dean-of-faculty-retires-as-controversial-civilian-faculty-cuts-loom
While in town for USAFA graduation, Secretary Meink should rethink Air Force Academy cuts (Letters)
May 29, 2025, Denver Post
by Thomas Bewley
https://www.denverpost.com/2025/05/29/usafa-graduation-education-cuts/ (pdf)
Bauernfeind wants warriors from the Air Force Academy, so he’s cutting education; The U.S. Air Force Academy is cutting civilian faculty and removing the word education from its mission
May 25, 2025, Denver Post
by Kent Murphy
https://www.denverpost.com/2025/05/25/air-force-academy-cuts-bauernfeind/ (text)
Democratic lawmakers urge DOD to provide details on Air Force Academy faculty cuts
May 5, 2025, Colorado Springs Gazette
by Mary Shinn
https://gazette.com/news/local/us-military-faculty-cuts-2025/article_b739a041-b1da-45f9-996b-fefd776b706c.html
Former Air Force Academy instructors, staff speak out against proposed civilian cuts; A Q&A with retired Air Force Academy personnel as they explain why they're concerned with the direction of the institution, as reports suggest civilian instructors could be cut
May 4, 2025, KOAA TV, Colorado Springs
by Brett Forrest (interviews with Irv Halter, Hal Bidlack, and Aaron Byerley)
https://www.koaa.com/news/covering-colorado/exclusive-former-air-force-academy-instructors-staff-speak-out-against-proposed-civilian-cuts
Excellence of Air Force Academy’s educational programs at risk if civilian faculty cuts continue; Decimating the successful partnership of civilian and active-duty faculty who deliver on USAFA’s complex teaching mission unjustified
April 30, 2025, Denver Post
by Thomas Bewley and 91 Cosigners
https://www.denverpost.com/2025/04/30/air-force-academy-staff-cuts/ (pdf)
Air Force Academy's staff cuts unclear amid mass resignations; cadets assured of world-class education
April 23, 2025, Colorado Springs Gazette
by Mary Shinn
https://gazette.com/military/air-force-academys-staff-cuts-unclear-amid-mass-resignations-cadets-assured-of-world-class-education/article_68d431ec-c9fd-4dab-8092-e731ec99f4e2.html
Civilian faculty cuts at Air Force Academy raise alarms over critical engineering programs
April 11, 2025, Colorado Springs Gazette
by Mary Shinn
https://gazette.com/military/proposed-civilian-faculty-cuts-at-air-force-academy-raise-alarms-over-critical-engineering-programs/article_c577aa52-7873-4dfe-b2ba-359c54892af4.html
Removal of “education” from the USAFA mission
Mission statement rewrite looks like mission retreat
June 2025, USAFA AOG Checkpoints
by Robert P Haffa Jr
https://issuu.com/usafaaog/docs/checkpoints_june_2025, page 11
Censorship issues
Hegseth's AF Academy book bans an insult to cadets' intelligence
June 10, 2025, Colorado Politics
by Hal Bidlack
https://www.coloradopolitics.com/opinion/hegseths-af-academy-book-bans-an-insult-to-cadets-intelligence-bidlack/article_6214c6fa-a0f6-4b03-bae7-43270dcb8b57.html
Censorship concerns: As Air Force Academy reviews books for removal, group forms to push back
June 8, 2025, Colorado Springs Gazette
by Mary Shinn
https://gazette.com/military/as-afa-goes-through-book-removal-process-group-forms-to-push-back/article_1eadd715-360a-4f4f-a117-91ed17f7c536.amp.html
Trump’s Military Academies Are Becoming Laboratories for Unconstitutional Censorship, Not Leadership; Adults 18 and over attend these schools, not children.
May 1, 2025, EveryLibrary.org
https://action.everylibrary.org/militaryunconstitutional
Thirteen “Woke” Books Banned in DOD Schools
June 6, 2025, ACLU.org
https://www.aclu.org/news/free-speech/13-woke-books-banned-in-dod-schools
Side note: Here is a short representative list of links to “dangerous books” that the US President wants to keep out of the hands of future US Military officers, for fear of these discussions polluting the their minds with doublethink. If this shocks & repulses you, maybe you could buy a few, and find a way to share them prominently at the military service academies…
The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood
The Untold History of the United States, by Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick
The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
The Climate Book: The Facts and the Solutions, by Greta Thunberg
Freckleface Strawberry, by Julianne Moore and LeUyen Pham
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
List of Books Removed from USNA Library
April 4, 2025 www.navy.mil
https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/Press-Releases/display-pressreleases/Article/4146516/list-of-books-removed-from-usna-library/
Sexual Assault coverups
The Air Force Academy’s New Sexual Assault Cover-Up—Why Trump and Hegseth Must Demand Accountability Now
June 29, 2025, substack
By Adam DeRito
https://substack.com/@adamderito/note/c-130505661
Air Force Academy completes investigation into men's soccer team
April 16, 2025, KOAA TV, Colorado Springs
by Ashleigh Quintana, James Gavato
https://www.koaa.com/news/covering-colorado/air-force-academy-completes-investigation-into-mens-soccer-team
"Blue chip" appointments to USAFA recruited athletes
End the Illusion of Prestige - Restoring Merit Based Admissions to Our Nations Federal Service Academies
May 20, 2025, substack
By Adam DeRito
https://substack.com/home/post/p-164060155
Transgender cadets
Transgender Air Force Academy cadets graduate but not commissioned amid Trump's ban
May 30, 2025, Colorado Springs Gazette
by Mary Shinn
https://gazette.com/military/transgender-air-force-academy-cadets-trump-ban/article_844c7f24-70d1-472d-af4e-6c24e9a9ea27.html
[If you spot any broken links or additional articles online covering significant concerns at USAFA which you would like to have linked up here, please share them in the comments!]