[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 13205]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY CHAPEL DEDICATION

 Mr. BENNET. Mr. President, today I wish to celebrate the 50th 
anniversary of the dedication of the Cadet Chapel at the U.S. Air Force 
Academy. In the half century since its founding, the Cadet Chapel has 
become a National Historic Landmark and the most popular manmade 
attraction in Colorado. Each year more than 750,000 visitors explore 
this iconic and unique building.
  Today, the Cadet Chapel is a multifaith house of worship specifically 
designed to provide multiple distinct worship areas under a single 
roof, meeting the spiritual needs of the Academy's cadets. The chapel's 
aluminum, glass and steel structure features 17 spires that soar 150 
feet toward the Colorado sky.
  Annually, over 4,000 cadets are provided 850 religious worship and 
educational opportunities to practice their personal faith. The chapel 
also provides religious rites and observances such as baptisms and 
dedications, weddings, funerals and memorial services. Most worship 
services are open to the general public and thousands of visitors each 
year attend worship.
  The Cadet Chapel fosters outstanding civic involvement by partnering 
with the local community to host four annual free concerts with over 
2000 attendees. The U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel is truly 
unique. Its iconic architectural structure serves as a symbol of the 
Academy and is recognized worldwide. Most important, the Cadet Chapel 
enables the free exercise of religion for cadets in this unique campus 
setting and aids the Chaplain Corps at the Air Force Academy to inspire 
men and women to become leaders of character through spiritual 
formation.
  In the 50 years since the Cadet Chapel was dedicated our Nation has 
sent Air Force Academy graduates to serve in the skies and jungles of 
Vietnam and the deserts of Iraq. Those that once bowed their head 
beneath the spires of the Chapel served our country in the former 
Yugoslavia and in the mountains of Afghanistan, and they continue to 
serve the cause of freedom around the globe today. We thank them for 
their service, and we congratulate the Air Force on the 50th 
anniversary of the dedication of the Air Force Academy's Cadet 
Chapel.

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