<p>USAFA will no longer conduct Appointee Orientation sessions. Budget reductions and resource restrictions have required USAFA to look at all of the opportunities applicants/appointees have to garner knowledge about USAFA and to aide them in deciding to attend USAFA. Attendance at Appointee Orientation has decreased over recent years and feedback from attendees has indicated limited utility given the increase in availability of information about USAFA and easier access to USAFA than in past years. USAFA provides a multitude of new programs via the internet providing applicants/appointees information on USAFA. These new programs include a very in-depth website ([Air</a> Force Academy](<a href=“http://academyadmissions.com%5DAir”>http://academyadmissions.com)), Facebook ([US</a> Air Force Academy (Admissions) | Facebook](<a href=“http://www.facebook.com/AcademyAdmissions]US”>http://www.facebook.com/AcademyAdmissions)), a virtual tour of USAFA (by invitation), Instructions to Appointees, USAFA Parents Guide, and on-line USAFA Catalog. Additionally, extensive programs allowing interested students to visit USAFA in person are also available and include Summer Seminar (1150 slots), Admissions Tours (3 days per week: register at 1-800-443-3864 or via e-mail to <a href=“mailto:usafa.tours@usafa.edu”>usafa.tours@usafa.edu</a>), Sports Camps, and SAME Camps plus the USAFA reservation is open to the public and has a comprehensive Visitors Center.</p>
<p>I think this is truly unfortunate. Even if financial constraints caused them to cut the sessions down to just one, this was worth every penny for our family and our cadets. While a lot of information is available online, the experience of staying overnight, of eating there, of walking the T-zo, of seeing the cadets and talking to them was priceless and quite the deciding factor for my favorite cadets.</p>
<p>I understand what you are stating, but the fact is there is only so much money to go around. </p>
<p>This money all comes from that same DOD AF pool. Your boys will be AD in 15 months. How would you feel if that money stayed in this pile for orientation, meanwhile, AD housing for new appliances got scrapped, and they lived on base housing?</p>
<p>It is business, and when your boys are AD, even as AFA grads, their allegiance to how the AF budget is spent will go from give it to the AFA to give it to the AF AD. I think if you looked at it from AFA v AF AD you would feel differently.</p>
<p>Again, it is business and they must live in the constraints of their budget. Pretty sure AFA cadets of 15 would gladly get rid of orientation if it meant just 1 more slot.</p>
<p>We all know 15 and 16 will have about 10-15% less apptmts than 12 had. It all comes down to how you are impacted.</p>