# @af_academy on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DK21gUpPK6B
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/31513558-af-academy-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/12b95862f9.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-06-13T21:55:10.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** U.S. Air Force Academy (@af_academy) — https://gondola.cc/af_academy

## Caption

🛠️ 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭, 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 📐

Cadets majoring in Civil Engineering gain hands-on experience through the Field Engineering and Readiness Laboratory (FERL), building both technical skill and leadership readiness.

FERL is a five-week summer course that includes two phases:
✈️𝐎𝐏𝐒 𝐂𝐄𝐀𝐅: Cadets visit an operational usairforce base to observe real-world CE missions.
🪵𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐋: Cadets “deploy” to the Academy’s FERL site to train in surveying, concrete work, power production, heavy equipment ops and more all while under the guidance of enlisted mentors and faculty.

Since 1994, this “construct first, design later” approach has bridged the gap between theory and application, producing technically skilled and operationally ready officers.

Cadets work alongside mentors in:
🧱 Concrete placement and road building
🪚 Wood framing, roofing, and drywall
💡 Electrical and plumbing systems
🔋 Generator power and base readiness
📏 Surveying and heavy equipment operation

#CivilEngineering #MechanicalEngineering #SystemsEngineering #STEM #CadetLife

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 1,496
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## Tags

stem, systemsengineering, civilengineering, cadetlife, mechanicalengineering

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