The 1959 United States Air Force Academy publication, At the Ramparts - The United States Air Force Academy, is has athletic imagery and stories scattered throughout its pages.[^] The book, meant for perspective recruits, attempts to put forth a positive, strong image of Air Force cadets. Some stories specifically highlight teams and individuals that represent the Academy in competitive varsity sports, and touts the abilities of those specific teams and individuals.
The book touts the success of the varsity football team, who beat the Denver University freshmen in their debut game.[^] Another page shows photographs from burgeoning varsity track & field and basketball teams.[^] The basketball photo also names a specific cadet, and call him ‘the star of the AFA team,’ giving him a status boost based upon his athletic performance.
The Air Force Academy presented recruits with the ability to engage in masculine discourse by showcasing these athletic programs and options. The recreation options at the Academy provided the men with the opportunity to illustrate and compare their masculinity with others. Meanwhile, the pieces that demonstrated the Academy’s success over other teams showed that the men there were quality athletes and had proven themselves in competition with other institutions.