The US Air Force Academy Board of Visitors held at meeting today at the Air Force Academy with STARRS was in attendance. The meeting was livestreamed on YouTube but there was only one camera angle so the presenters’ PowerPoint slides were not shown. USAFA immediately removed the livestream from YouTube right after the meeting ended, but STARRS recorded it. See below for video, audio, recap, transcript and detailed notes from the meeting.
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Inside the Air Force Academy’s Board of Visitors Meeting:
New Leadership, Big Wins, and a Chapel Still in the Spotlight
The U.S. Air Force Academy Board of Visitors convened on October 16, 2026, for its latest open session — and it was a packed agenda covering everything from touchdown celebrations to billion-dollar infrastructure gaps.
A New Team at the Helm
Lieutenant General Moga, now 60 days into his tenure as Superintendent, gave his first major update to the board. His message was simple: remind every cadet why they’re really here. Not for Division I athletics, not for prestigious scholarships, but to complete the 47-month journey, earn a commission, and serve. He’s also been busy pushing decision-making authority down from headquarters to the people closest to the problem.
He was joined by a nearly all-new senior leadership team — Commandant Brigadier General Tellez and Provost General Valpiani — both emphasizing a shared theme: building “warfighters” through challenge, grit, and institutional pride.
Reimagining the Classroom
Perhaps the biggest structural news was the creation of a new Academic Wing, consolidating over 20 departments into four integrated schools. The goal? Stop teaching engineering, science, and humanities in silos and start teaching cadets to think across disciplines — the way real-world problems actually demand. There’s also a renewed push to bring back a dedicated American history course, and an ambitious effort to weave AI (“superintelligence”) into the curriculum — cadets are already using it to design aircraft in 10 minutes, a process that used to take a month.
Winning Season, Literally
Air Force Athletics had plenty to brag about: wins over Navy in football, soccer, tennis, and boxing, a world-record-breaking push-up event (beating Navy’s prior record), and a stacked roster of new coaching hires. Behind the scenes, a 40% increase in Basic Cadet Training workouts drove record fitness scores and cut athletic probation numbers by more than half over two years.
The Chapel: Still Priority One
No topic generated more public interest than the Cadet Chapel renovation. After years of delays, the project has been accelerated — officials now expect occupancy by April 2028, ahead of the Class of 2027’s graduation. But for many in the community, progress isn’t happening fast enough. Eight of the fourteen public comments submitted to the board focused on the chapel, with speakers — including alumni, parents, and current cadets — arguing that its prolonged closure sends the wrong message about the Academy’s commitment to cadets’ spiritual and character development. One cadet’s statement, read aloud by a 2004 graduate, called for an independent “accountability commission” to keep the project on track.
Money, Money, Money
The board also heard a sobering infrastructure picture: USAFA facilities are 15 years past their designed lifespan, with $4.2 billion in deferred maintenance and only $40 million a year currently allocated to fix it. The newly formed USAFA 2050 Task Force is pushing for dedicated funding lines and public-private partnerships to close the gap — comparing notes with West Point and Annapolis, which have historically received more support.
Farewells and What’s Next
The meeting closed with a tribute to outgoing board member and retired Brigadier General Don Bacon, welcomes for two new board members, and a preview of a forthcoming report recommending reforms to the Academy’s disciplinary process.
The board’s next meeting is a virtual session in December — where expect updates on the chapel, the 2050 funding plan, and the Academy’s evolving curriculum.
AI Transcription of October 2026 BOV meeting (pdf)
USAFA Superintendent Moga’s remarks at BOV
USAFA Commandant Tellez’s remarks at BOV
USAFA Provost Valpiani’s remarks at BOV
AI Notes of Meeting:
U.S. Air Force Academy Board of Visitors Meeting — Detailed Notes
Date: October 16, 2026
Format: Open session (preceded by a closed session on a separate topic)
Opening Remarks — Congressman Pfluger (Chairman)
- Board sent its semiannual report to the Secretary of War in September; next board meeting will be a virtual session in December.
- Welcomed new Superintendent Lieutenant General Moga.
- Congratulated the Academy on: beating Navy in football, top-18-years undergraduate ranking, top-10 engineering programs, and a new Guinness World Record for most simultaneous push-ups (3,703 people, beating Navy’s ~3,000).
- Board partnered with West Point and Annapolis boards to push NDAA provisions benefiting all three service academies.
Key board recommendations submitted to the Secretary of War (September report):
- Elevate the superintendent’s role in the Air Force Academy Athletic Corporation from advisory to approval authority.
- Retain the 70th Flying Training Squadron at USAFA.
- Establish a dedicated facilities sustainment/restoration/modernization (FSRM) funding line for USAFA.
- Reprioritize cadet internships (Pentagon, Capitol Hill, potentially White House).
- Promote USAFA officer assignments as career-enhancing and review promotion rates for instructors.
- Audit the USAFA Preparatory School’s return on investment.
- Accelerate air, space, and cyber-minded training, including drone R&D, portable aircrew trainers, and VR training devices.
- Noted Secretary Hegseth’s recent “Send Me” tour visit to USAFA.
Richard Anderson — Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs
- First year in role; first Board of Visitors meeting. Committed to attending future meetings in person.
- Described a leadership “reset” with the new superintendent, provost, and commandant, and pledged support translating board recommendations into action.
Superintendent Lieutenant General Moga — Update (First 60 Days)
- Took command first week of August; spent initial months assessing manpower, funding, and decision-making authority.
- Deliberately pushed decision-making authority down from headquarters to lower levels.
- USAFA received a guidance letter from the Secretary of the Air Force, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and Chief of Space Operations; response is due mid-November following a 2-day senior leadership offsite in November.
- Reaffirmed the Academy’s mission: build warfighters of character who can lead and win the future fight.
- Emphasized reminding cadets of their true purpose (not sports or scholarships) — complete 47 months, get commissioned, serve.
- Stressed institutional pride, synergy/non-contradiction across training elements, and high standards.
- Said major institutional/mission changes are being deliberately delayed to early next year pending senior leadership alignment.
Commandant Brigadier General Tellez — Cadet Wing Update
- Focus on creating productive “moments of doubt” to build resilience (“callus,” “denser bones”).
- Highlighted push-up world record win over Navy/West Point.
- A-Day: record numbers of new cadets (4-degrees) admitted this year.
- Comrades Challenge and VALEX exercises build competition/teamwork.
- Honor Code: cadet-run system is healthy, on par with prior years.
- “Cadet for a Day” event: cadets organized a heartfelt welcome for a 6-year-old recovering from brain cancer (Myla).
- Upcoming cadet wing offsite next week; feeds into the superintendent’s November offsite.
Provost General Valpiani — Academic Wing Update
- New organizational structure: “Academic Wing” led by a Provost, replacing the old Dean of Faculty model with 20+ individual departments.
- New Schools: Integrated Engineering Sciences, Integrated Basic Sciences, Integrated Humanities/Arts/Social Sciences, and Integrated General Studies (owns the core curriculum, ~90–100 credit hours).
- Core curriculum redesign around three lanes: Humanities/Arts/Social Sciences, STEM, and Warfighting — with a strong superintelligence thread throughout.
- Target rollout: first year of new curriculum next fall.
- Superintelligence initiative: demonstrated AI tools cutting aircraft design time from a month to 10 minutes; integrating aerodynamics and stealth (radar cross-section) design.
- Copyright update: FY20 NDAA allows civilian faculty to own copyright on scholarly work; USAFA ready to implement pending Department-level policy guidance. Military faculty copyright policy is further behind and needs statutory authority.
- In response to board questions: American history course was removed decades ago; it is being reinstated as part of the curriculum overhaul, with emphasis on Western civilization, the Constitution, and political economy.
- Building a multi-domain wargaming lab; partnering with game developers (including Fortnite developers) to simulate drone swarms/CCAs; new summer course has cadets building and programming drones (40 signed up already).
Athletics Update — Dr. Nancy Hickson (Acting AD) & Jennifer Block
- Multiple teams beat Army/Navy this fall (soccer, tennis, boxing, football vs. Navy).
- Basic Cadet Training PT increased 40% in sessions and 85% in total training time; resulted in highest average PFT scores and second-highest aerobic fitness scores on record.
- Athletic probation down 57% over two years (111 → 83 → 47 cadets).
- New hires: baseball coach Drew Lacombe, wrestling coach Joe Johnston, men’s basketball coach Joe Crispin; hockey coach transition from Frank Cerretore (retiring) to Joe Doyle.
- External highlights: Fisher DeBerry statue unveiling, Bruno Mars concerts (67,000 attendees, 1,500 tickets donated to cadets), World Baseball Classic appearance, PBR/Tim McGraw Space Force event, B-21 Raider branding campaign (highest-selling apparel to date), B-2 flyovers at the Navy game.
- Discussion on cadet nutrition (raised by a board member): 4,700 calories/day, $22.10/day per cadet budget; “Falcon Fuel” program supplies protein-based snacks; board member flagged protein content concerns.
- Discussion on club sports “on-season” status — athletic department acknowledged room for improvement, working with the Commandant’s office.
Space Force Integration — Col. Stephanie Silva (Space Force Detachment Commander)
- ~40 guardians integrated across USAFA units (instructors, squadron commanders, trainers).
- Programs: Azimuth (summer training), Apollo Dagger culminating exercise, Cadet Space Operations Squadron (FalconSat program), I-5 Squadron (international, 1,000+ members, partners include Australia, Canada, Japan, Romania, South Korea), Blue Horizon rocketry club (liquid-fueled rocket, booster landing in progress).
- USAFA commissions the most Space Force officers of any commissioning source (~100/year).
- Board question on a potential “Space Academy” at Pine Valley acreage — awaiting outcome of a commission decision on siting.
Infrastructure & Funding
Michael Borders (Assistant Secretary, Energy, Installation & Environment):
- Visits quarterly specifically to track the Chapel project.
- USAFA’s facility investment is ~0.5% of plant replacement value vs. industry standard of 4%.
- Advocated for USAFA 2050 funding protection; noted a near-loss of funding for the Cy John Hall renovation this past fiscal year.
- Without dedicated funding, Building Condition Index (BCI) will continue declining (80→70→60).
- $4.2 billion in deferred projects identified; plan has “no gold plating.”
- Supports reviewing gift-receiving processes and enhanced use leases (EULs) to give the Superintendent more financial flexibility.
Nancy Balkus (Deputy Assistant Secretary, Energy Installation & Environment) — USAFA 2050 Task Force:
- Task force created by Secretary’s memo (April 27) to oversee modernization/sustainment, chaired with Borders as senior program executive.
- Facilities date to 1955–1967, now 15 years past designed 50-year lifespan.
- $4.2B in deferred projects; $635M in immediate critical sustainment needs; current funding only $40M/year.
- Three-tiered fix: (1) Critical readiness repairs, (2) Essential sustainment, (3) Modernization (e.g., multi-domain warfare training center, integrated space/engineering center).
- Two key legislative provisions: dedicated USAFA funding line (House passed; Senate pending) and public-private investment authority (modeled on Polaris Hotel/Hosmer Visitor Center EUL success).
- Response to House Armed Services Committee due by December 2026.
- Board member question comparing USAFA funding to West Point/Annapolis — Borders confirmed USAFA is underfunded relative to peer academies due to lack of historical dedicated funding streams; comparative analysis underway.
Col. Brian Cooper — Chapel Renovation Project Update:
- Timeline accelerated: beneficial occupancy now April 2028 (from a prior May 2029 estimate); contract completion August 2028.
- East/west walls sealed and watertight; curtain glass walls (north/south) still pending — south wall installation begins December.
- Interior work ongoing (Catholic level organ restored, pews being restored in Wisconsin; Protestant level ~2/3 of stained glass installed).
- White protective structure (“the box”) to come down ahead of Class of 2027 graduation.
- Transparency efforts: public website, QR codes, social media updates, and a podcast on the chapel’s history recorded last week.
- Board requested (and was denied, due to risk) a phased/early opening of the lower chapel level for Christmas.
- Discussed a potential nighttime projection (“twilight”) experience pending donor funding; daytime solution currently a mesh banner.
Open Action Items
- Military professor copyrights — requires statutory authority; board to work with Provost, General Counsel (JAG), and identify a legislative champion.
- USAFA 2050 infrastructure plan — board to add detail/assign tasks ahead of the December virtual meeting; Dave Nugent assigned as item owner.
Public Comments (14 submitted; several additional live comments allowed)
Dominant theme: The Chapel (8 of 14 submissions)
- Multiple speakers (Lucas Tobler, Dennis Miller, Zachary Edwards, Zach Miller, Louis Wolf, Shane Kramer, and others) expressed concern that the chapel’s seven-year closure reflects deprioritization of cadets’ spiritual/character formation.
- Zach Miller (class of 2004) read a statement from a current cadet (C1C Bruno Graziano) requesting the board ask Secretary Hegseth to establish an “accountability commission” for the chapel project, citing a history of missed promises.
- Congressman Pfluger noted this was the best public participation in his time on the board, and credited Charlie Kirk’s advocacy a year prior with accelerating chapel progress.
Other topics:
- Admissions (Dr. Susan Morrow, Classic Learning Test ambassador): Raised concerns that USAFA admissions staff inconsistently promote the CLT (now an accepted test alongside SAT/ACT) and asked how CLT will factor into the academic composite score.
- Discipline/Due Process (Larry Card, via video): Raised a personal case involving his son’s disenrollment, alleging due process deficiencies.
- Non-kinetic warfare/Constitution education (Matt Newgent, Constitution Analytics, West Point ’96): Proposed a pilot program analyzing curriculum/content alignment with the Constitution; board member Nikolai expressed interest in connecting this with the Institute of Future Conflict and the Provost’s Western civics focus.
Board Member Closing Comments
- Congressman Pfluger thanked outgoing board member Congressman Don Bacon (retired Brigadier General) for his service — this was his last board meeting.
- Col (ret) Stoli Nikolai (Chair, Disciplinary Focus Group) previewed a forthcoming intermediary report after 6 months of review, recommending:
- Suspend Article 15 proceedings pending a top-to-bottom discipline review.
- Reinvigorate the MRR (mentorship/reevaluation/reappointment) program for disenrolled cadets (20+ parent/cadet cases raised with the board).
- Address due process deficiencies in USAFA’s disciplinary system.
- Welcomed new board members John Hotaling and Erica Kirk.
- Noted an upcoming athletic director hiring decision.