AFA lets enlisted Airmen take the LEAD

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Christopher Frost
  • 377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  To those who were unable to be admitted into the Air Force Academy, try not to cringe when reading the next sentence. Every year, seats in the academy are left empty because nobody applied to sit in them. These seats were allocated for the best of the best of the enlisted corps of the Air Force, but these top-tier Airmen were never told about or submitted for this opportunity.

"People just don't know about the program, that's the bottom line," said Master Sgt. Joseph Mulcahy, Team Kirtland career assistance advisor, about why spots in the Leaders Encouraging Air Development Program are going unfilled.

The LEAD Program deadline for commanders to submit a pre-candidate questionnaire online is Dec. 31.

The LEAD Program is an on-going effort to give the best and brightest Airmen the opportunity to excel by offering them appointments to the academy. Commanders must to identify Airmen with officer potential for this commissioning program.

"Commanders should be on the lookout for Airmen with leadership potential and an outstanding track record," said Sergeant Mulcahy.

After the questionnaire is completed, nominated Airmen have until Jan. 31 to submit an Air Force Form 1786, which is the application form.

Fifty slots are reserved at the academy's prep school with the intention of academy appointment to follow, and 85 direct entry slots at the academy are available.

To be accepted to the prep school, Airmen must be U.S. citizens or be able to obtain citizenship before entry into the academy the following year, be unmarried and have no dependants, must not have passed their 22nd birthday by July 1 of the entry year, and be of high moral character. To be accepted to a direct entry slot, Airmen must be no older than 23 on July 1 of the year entering the academy.

"This program is a not only a great opportunity for the Air Force to find the leadership of the future, but also for the Airman who will get an opportunity to go to one of the best schools in the country and get a commission from the best Air Force in the world," said Chief Master Sgt. Paul Sikora, 377th Air Base Wing command chief master sergeant.

For more information about the program or the academy, visit http://academyadmissions.com.