Sod

Two times every year the Academy grounds get a complete face lift. This happens right before Parent's Weekend and graduation. Colorado is a horrible climate for growing anything but rocks, but USAFA will not accept this. They use vast amounts of water, energy, and money trying to defy Mother Nature. The liberal dosage of sod is the best example of this phenomenon. They bring in hundreds of pallets of sod in order to make it look like grass can actually grow at USAFA. To a logical person, using taxpayer money to re-plant the Academy twice a year does not make very much sense. At some point you would cut your losses and deal with rocks, AstroTurf, or dirt.

This is the perfect example of how the Academy tends to focus on pleasing visitors rather than pleasing cadets. The upper leadership really doesn't care how cadets view the institution or function in it, but they do care how visitors look at it. You would also imagine that the greatness of the institution would speak for itself; and no one really cares if the grassy area right outside the east part of Sijan Hall has fresh sod. For the visitors out there, we hope that your judgement only goes surface deep and you can be easily pleased with grass. Just make sure to only visit around Parent's Weekend or graduation, though.