Andrew Mossman is a senior at Fauquier High School (FHS) who recently got accepted into the Air Force Academy. Mossman has been working towards getting into the academy throughout his high school career and has been putting in all the hard work that the recruitment process requires. Mossman knew he had a hard recruitment process ahead of him, but as he states, “My grandfather and dad both went to the [Air Force] Academy, so I thought…I could continue the legacy.” The recruitment process for the Air Force Academy is very selective. “There is a lot of medical and physical testing, and it is very selective. But I like…having to be very well rounded to go to a college,” Mossman explains.
Mossman applied to other colleges such as UVA and Virginia Tech as backups, even though he was set on the Air Force Academy. “The academy has always stood out to me because…it’s free, so you don’t have to pay for college…And …I like the challenge.”
Even though Mossman expected some challenges getting into college, he faced an unexpected set-back during the recruitment process. “I had an injury right as the physical testing came around, so it was…hard to train for specific aspects like the mile.” Although the injury affected Mossman’s chances, he persevered. “I think that it helped me grow, and…it is important to embrace…challenges because that’s…the reason you are going to the academy in the first place.” Despite Mossman’s injury, he turned it into something to grow upon, rather than stay stuck on it and have it affect him in negative ways. A hard work ethic paid off for Mossman in the end, as he got accepted into his dream college.
