Scholarship Rules

1.0  Overview:  The Gathering of Eagles (GOE) Foundation is a non-profit organization that honors men and women who have made enduring contributions to air and space power.  Each June during GOE week, the GOE Foundation honors 12-15 of these inspiring individuals (called “Eagles”) as an Air Command and Staff College capstone event.  In addition, the GOE Foundation awards annual scholarship(s) to AFROTC cadets to promote air and space power education and to inspire future leaders of the Air Force. 

 2.0  Type:  The GOE Foundation will award up to two $2,000 scholarships annually.  A minimum of one $2,000 scholarship will be awarded.  If the size (minimum of 20 nominees) and quality of the field warrant, the GOE Foundation has the option of awarding a second $2,000 scholarship.  The winners will be invited to attend GOE week at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.  The week’s events include attending an Eagle lecture series and several social events during which the winners will interact with past, present and future air and space power leaders.    Transportation and lodging costs will be covered for the award winners only.

 3.0  Eligibility:  Open to AS 200 and AS 300 cadets in good standing enrolled in AFROTC.

 4.0  Nomination Process:  Applicants will write a 3-page essay on an individual worthy of becoming an Eagle.  The Eagle criteria are listed in paragraph 6.0.  Nominations will be submitted by the detachment PAS and are due to are due to Gathering of Eagles (GOE) Foundation on 15 February of each year.  E-mail the AFROTC nominee’s essay and 1-page student biography to ACSC.GOE@maxwell.af.mil. 

 4.1 Format:  3-page (maximum) double-spaced essay with 1-inch margins.  Use Times New Roman 12-point font for all text.  A bibliography is not required, but may be attached and will not count against 3-page limit.  The format for the essay and student biography can be found in attachments 1 and 2.

5.0  Selection:  Each AFROTC detachment PAS may submit two (2) cadet nominations to the GOE Foundation (suspense and point of contact in paragraph 4.0).  The GOE Foundation will select the winner(s) no later than 15 March and announce the results via email by 30 March.   

 5.1  Presentation of the Award:  The GOE Foundation will fund coach class travel and three nights of lodging at Maxwell AFB, Alabama.  The winners will arrive at Maxwell AFB on Wednesday of GOE week.  They will participate in the Eagle lecture series on Thursday and Friday culminating with the presentation of the scholarship on Friday.  The winners will return to their home of record on Saturday.  Transportation is provided by the GOE Foundation.  Per Diem is not authorized (all meals and lodging will be provided).  Service dress uniform is required and dress casual clothes are recommended for other GOE events.    

 6.0  Gathering of Eagles Mission and Eagle Criteria

 6.1  Mission. 

 6.2  Criteria.  An Eagle should be a man or woman who has made a significant contribution to air and space power, broadly defined to include flying, space travel, space exploration, flight test, military aviation, the advancement of airpower theory or doctrine, commercial aviation, aircraft engineering and design, and the aircraft industry.

 It is difficult to precisely define what constitutes a “significant contribution,” but it will typically involve some element of personal sacrifice, courage, or risk, and probably take the form of one or more of the following:

·         An individual act of heroism requiring personal courage and sacrifice (i.e., LT Alex Vraciu, USN, in WWII or Major Bernard Fisher, USAF, in Vietnam).

·         A key role in an organization generally recognized as having made a significant contribution to aviation or air power history (i.e., American Volunteer Group, Tuskegee Airmen, early NASA programs)

·         A pioneering air/space effort or set of efforts (i.e., Dr. Bertrand Piccard or Dick Rutan).

·         A key role in an event generally recognized as a milestone in aviation or air power history (Battle of Britain, Doolittle Raid, Marianas Turkey Shoot, Schweinfurt raids, Operation BOLO, Apollo moon landing, breaking of the sound barrier, etc.)

·         A recognized title or honor directly associated with his/her career in aviation (“Ace” status, Harmon Trophy, Medal of Honor recipient, comparable foreign decoration, etc.)

·         A career of significant and sustained accomplishment in air and space power, especially in the context of military service (i.e., Gen Jimmy Doolittle or Gen Ron Fogelman).

 The most compelling Eagles have careers that represent a lifetime of service and sacrifice in air and space power, punctuated by historic events or noteworthy accomplishments along the way.  

Scholarship Winners

2010 - Cadet Nathan Smithers
            University of Georgia - AFROTC Detachment 160

2009 - Cadet Xavier Furlong
            Montana State University - AFROTC Detachment 40

2008 - Cadet David Steinour
            Penn State University AFROTC Detachment 720

2007 - Cadet Kevin Van Dam
            AFROTC Det 028, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

2007 - Cadet Holly J. Gramkow
            AFROTC Det 695, University of Portland   

2006 - Cadet Amanda D. Stratman
            University of Missouri-Rolla - AFROTC Det 442