III 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 139 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES November 6, 2009 Received and referred to the Committee on Armed Services CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Congratulating the first graduating class of the United States Air Force Academy on their 50th graduation anniversary and recognizing their contributions to the Nation.

Whereas, on April 1, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation establishing the United States Air Force Academy to prepare young men for careers as Air Force officers; Whereas, on July 11, 1955, the first class entered the Air Force Academy, attending classes in temporary facilities at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado; Whereas the Air Force Academy moved to its permanent home near Colorado Springs, Colorado, in August 1958; Whereas the first class of 207 cadets graduated June 3, 1959, at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Whereas in 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed legislation authorizing each of the Service Academies to expand enrollment from 2,529 to 4,417 students, and today, over 4,000 cadets attend the Air Force Academy; Whereas 50 classes and more than 41,000 cadets have graduated from the Air Force Academy in its 54-year history; Whereas the mission of the Air Force Academy is to educate, train, and inspire outstanding young men and women to become Air Force officers of character and to prepare and motivate them to lead the Air Force in its service to the Nation; Whereas the Air Force Academy is recognized worldwide as the premier developer of air, space, and cyberspace officers and leaders with impeccable character and knowledge; and Whereas, June 3, 2009, marks the 50th anniversary of the first graduating class of the Air Force Academy: Now, therefore, be it

That Congress— (1)congratulates the 207 graduates (157 surviving as of April 2009) of the first United States Air Force Academy class on the 50th anniversary of their graduation; (2)acknowledges the continued excellence of the United States Air Force Academy and its critical role in the defense of the United States; and (3)recognizes the outstanding service to the Nation that graduates from the United States Air Force Academy have provided.

Passed the House of Representatives November 5, 2009. Lorraine C. Miller, Clerk.