US Air Force Academy- Dare to Dream

Once there was a tiny little boy who couldn't be held down to earth and dreamed of flying. From infancy he would arch his back and fight his car seat and push the limits with his seat belt. He wanted to be driving the car instead of being a passenger. He had model planes and poured over books of Harrier Jump Jets at age 3 and devoured specks, details and pictures of military planes as bed time stories. At age 5, he made paper airplane after paper airplane until he could get one that could travel long distances. When he was 6, he made kids puke as he flew the plane simulators at the Smithsonian in DC and made them do dives, rolls and flips. He begged to go to Air Shows and sit in real cockpits at Little Rock AFB. Once in a jet, he did not want to leave without trying every lever, button and peering at every gauge. He visited the Smithsonian offsite and read everything he could get his hands on about the jets. Every morning on the way to Middle School at Anderson Air Force Base, he would dream of flying the planes that sat on the run way or that zoomed overhead. This excited little boy who loved planes grew unto a big teenager boy who had flying fever.

He was in heaven when he visited the Boeing Site near Seattle Washington, and he could see planes being built and sit in the cockpits of real planes in the museum. Early on he decided he wanted to be an electrical engineer like his Grandpa Moore and get that degree at the illustrious Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO while training for the lofty dream of becoming a pilot.

Competition is very stiff to get into the AF Academy. In fact only 11% of applicants make it into the Academy because it is so competitive. First Trevor had to get a Congressional nomination. Trevor sought the nomination of Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo. Competition was fierce with 2 military bases here with Valedictorians and children of AF and Naval officers who wanted that 1 slot to the Air Force Academy. After numerous interviews and time consuming paperwork, letters of recommendation, Trevor was nominated by the Honorable Ms Bordallo. You can see his mini picture in the newspaper with the Congresswoman and Trevor's girlfriend Allison.

This is the official picture (above) was taken by Ms Bordallo's staff. The unofficial picture below was taken by Trevor's competitor. (I was so happy for Trevor but sad for the other young man who's dreams were crushed)

This is the whole group trying for the West Point, the Naval Academy and the Air Force slots.

Ms. Bordallo told me that Trevor already looked and acted like a cadet, and that he was in the top place for getting the Official Acceptance from the Air Force.

And this is the official letter or Appointment from the AF Academy. They called him at 5:00 in the morning to make sure he was coming. Even while half asleep, he knew this was a dream come true to get his science degree and commission as a second lieutenant in the Air Force upon graduation and hopefully to fly the fighters and F-22 Raptors .