We have hosted several cadets over the years who go to a pre-academy year in my town and then go on to US Air Force Academy or West Point or Coast Guard, etc. The 2 young men we've hosted that have gone to USAFA are now finished (we went to one of the graduation ceremonies which was really neat--the president spoke and the stunt jet fighters-Thunderbirds?-flew over). Instead of having to pay for college, they received a monthly check. They had purchased new vehicles. They went on to flight school after the academy. If there's no space, they spend a year at a base with minor assignments (that counts as one of their service years) and then go on to flight school. It's really a terrific program. One of the young men flew back to town with his other trainees to have lunch with the family--it was really neat.
West Point was recently rated #1 school in one paper (I'll have to remember which).
