Last weekend, I took my family for a quick trip to the United States Air Force Academy. In the past, if you had asked me to describe these members of the military in one word, I probably would have said, “Discipline.” However, what struck me this time was that there’s also a certain elegance in their way of life.
We got to watch a video at the visitor center about what the first year of life at the academy is like for the new recruits. Even though it would be hard work, even grueling at times, the end result is a group of young men and women who are able to perform effectively and efficiently as individual parts of a greater whole. And if we think of elegance as “dignified grace,” it’s hard not to see the elegance in their behavior, especially when you see them lined up in their dress uniforms.
One more example: Here’s a picture of the chapel on their campus. Although we didn’t get to go in this time, we have in the past, and to me, it represents in physical form what the USAFA stands for: Integrity, Service, and Excellence.