Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of regular updates on the Cadet Chapel restoration project. Future updates will highlight key milestones and progress toward returning this historic landmark to cadets, families and visitors.
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force is working closely with its primary contractor to accelerate restoration of the iconic Cadet Chapel at the U.S. Air Force Academy, underscoring the Service’s determination to return the national historic landmark to cadets, families, and visitors as quickly as possible.
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink’s guidance calls for expediting project execution by resolving process bottlenecks, streamlining contracting and funding actions, and ensuring accurate reporting of progress and risk to senior leadership.
Under Secretary Matt Lohmeier, himself an Academy graduate, toured the site this fall, pledging help to clear hurdles standing in the way of faster progress.
“I am encouraged by the productive meetings I had with the leadership team from JE Dunn, USAFA, and AFIMSC,” said Lohmeier. “All parties are working urgently to accomplish a very important – albeit complicated – project with alacrity.”
Two of the Air Force Installation & Mission Support Center’s subordinate units, the Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC) and Air Force Installation Contracting Center (AFICC) are working closely with JE Dunn Construction to identify opportunities to accelerate schedules while maintaining the integrity of the complex restoration.
The push for acceleration comes as the Chapel’s restoration efforts – already one of the most complex facility projects in Air Force history – clear two significant challenges, a larger than expected amount of asbestos abatement and original alignment deficiencies hidden by the exterior cladding. These unforeseen site conditions discovered in 2020 extended timelines and increased costs.
“When the project is complete, the renovated Cadet Chapel will stand as both a testament to (architect) Walter Netsch’s original vision and to the Air Force’s commitment to preserving its heritage,” said Brig. Gen. Patrick Miller, AFCEC commander. “For cadets, families, and visitors, the chapel will continue to embody the Academy’s ingenuity, dedication to spiritual fitness, resilience, and the enduring values of service for generations to come.”
Immediately following the completion of the initial water resistive system, contractors began water testing the week of Dec. 15 to ensure the Chapel’s restorations are watertight, a critical step toward completion. Testing will resume the week of Jan. 12, 2026. More information about water testing will be shared in a future update.
U.S. Air Force Academy — Cadets sit on the terrazzo with a view of the Cadet Chapel during the U.S. Air Force Academy's Class of 2020 Graduation Ceremony at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., April 18, 2020. Nine-hundred-sixty-seven cadets crossed the stage to become the Air Force/Space Force’s newest second lieutenants. (U.S. Air Force photo/Trang Le) 
Crews erect scaffolding around the interior of the U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel on May 11, 2020 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The chapel closed in early September 2019 to allow for necessary repairs and is estimated to be completed in 2024. (U.S. Air Force photo by Trevor Cokley) 
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — Water testing on the chapel at United States Air Force Academy. Built in 1963, the chapel serves as an inter-faith house of worship, and a haven where Airmen gain or build on their spiritual resilience and contributes to the Academy’s mission of building the character of cadets and developing future Air Force and Space Force leaders. (U.S. Air Force photo/Dylan Smith) 
Contractors conduct water-tightness testing on the exterior of the U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel, Dec. 16, 2025. The test involves spraying the chapel’s new exterior panels with water at 30 to 35 pounds per square inch while crews inside monitor for any signs of penetration. (U.S. Air Force photo by Dylan Smith) 
Organ components in the Catholic Chapel are reinstalled at the Cadet Chapel, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. on July 15, 2025. The chapel's abstract glass mosaic mural is visible in the background; its figures are crafted from Carrara marble, the same Italian stone used in world-famous sculptures such as Michelangelo's David and Pietà. (U.S. Air Force photo by Trevor Cokley) 
Jeremiah Hodges, an organ restorer with A.E. Schlueter Pipe Organ Company, reinstalls a wooden pipe into the Catholic organ in the Cadet Chapel at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo., July 15, 2025. A.E. Schlueter Pipe Organ Company is one of the 75 contractors/trade partners assisting JE Dunn Construction, the primary contractor hired to lead the Cadet Chapel renovation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Trevor Cokley) 
The United States Air Force Academy Chapel was built in 1963 in the modern architectural style and continues to be the distinguishing feature of the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado, Feb. 20, 2020. A four year collegiate institution, USAFA is home to nearly 4,000 Air Force Cadets. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. DaQuan Hurt) 
A white box encases the Cadet Chapel as extensive renovations continue at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo., July 23, 2025. The structure allows work to proceed in harsh weather and can withstand winds up to 125 mph. (U.S. Air Force photo by Trevor Cokley)