Lt Gen Kelley also provided some guidance to the Falcon Scholars during the ceremony. “Your challenges during your service will be more complex than mine,” he told them. “Your lead time will be longer; engagement will be critically short… ‘Stand-off’ will be the prevalent way of fighting.”
He also spoke on the importance of the Falcons building their own character. “The stories of history are littered with the results of man’s attempt to build things,” he said. “We don’t see though, the far more important task of building character.” He pointed out that when faced with challenges everyone looks to the officers to learn what to do. “They’re going to hear what you say, they’re going to watch what you do, and they’re going to know what you mean. So it boils down to high standards or no standards, all as a result of your character.”
Randolph-Macon Academy is one of seven Falcon Foundation Schools in the United States. Seven Falcon Scholars have completed a post-graduate year at R-MA over the last two years, and all seven have received appointments to the U.S. Air Force Academy.