| Head in the clouds |
By: IAN STAUFFER
istauffer@owatonna.com
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Posted: Thursday, January 29, 2009 11:13 pm
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OWATONNA — Steve Carew set his sights on the Air Force Academy when he was still in high school and never wavered through junior hockey stops in Green Bay, Wis. and Owatonna.
Now, with just a few months left before he heads to basic training, it’s easy to forget all the steps the Express center had to take to make it there. Even he had a hard time remembering what they were.
“I started talking to them during my senior year of high school,” Carew said. “I kept in touch with them last year in Green Bay, and in September this year, I figured it was a good time to make a decision and get myself ready for the future.”
Once Carew gave the Air Force a verbal commitment, the work really started. One of the first things that had to be done was to make sure he qualified academically. As Express coach Pat Cullen pointed out, the Air Force Academy is not your typical state school.
“I think the average ACT score is about 30 and the average GPA is something like 3.98,” said Carew, who said he had a 3.8 GPA in high school at Benilde-St. Margaret’s and scored a 25 on his ACT. “I’m kind of scraping the bottom.”
Carew said he just finished filling out his application to the school last week. While he hasn’t actually been approved, he said the coaches and the admissions staff have assured him he will be accepted.
Before he could even apply, Carew also had to go through a meeting with a Department of Defense liaison, pass an extensive physical examination and go through a thorough background check.
During the physical exam, Carew said doctors checked his sight, his hearing and performed a number of other tests. He also had to push-ups and pull-ups, run a mile and do the shuttle test. He said they also measured him while he sat upright to make sure he’d fit inside the cockpit of a fighter jet. Again, that’s not quite the same process an applicant to a state school has to go through.
The background check is not limited to just Carew. He said he also had to give the Air Force his parents’ names and Social Security numbers.
“I even heard some pretty crazy stories that they go knocking on your neighbor’s doors and stuff like that,” Carew said. “Basically, they ask everything about you.”
Before classes begin in September, Carew will have to attend basic training during the summer on the Academy’s campus in Colorado Springs, Colo. Once classes start, Carew will have to wear a basic uniform of blue slacks and a blue shirt to class Monday-Thursday. On Friday, the cadets wear their camouflage Battle Dress Uniforms, to class.
As far as cost, the Air Force will pay for Carew’s education. They will also pay him $890 a month in “cadet pay,” plus $8 per day for expenses. He has to purchase his own books with that money, but everything else — including his underwear, he said — is provided by the Academy.
Of course, the cost of this free education is a minimum of five years active duty service. Carew said about 60 percent of cadets attend flight school, while the rest can choose to work at a number of Air Force locations where they can put their education to use. Carew said he’s not sure which route he’ll take.
No matter where Carew ends up, he will have earned everything. Cullen is quick to point out how hard Carew works and what a good person he is.
“He almost seems like an adult,” Cullen said. “All of these guys are still kids at heart, but Steve is so mature.
“It takes a special person to get into the Air Force Academy, and Steve will do very well there.”
Not Flying Solo
Carew will be the fourth Express player to attend the Air Force Academy, so he’ll have plenty of wingmen. He will join forward Scott Kozlak (2006-07) and defensemen Tim Kirby (2006-08) and Kevin Wright (2005-07). Below are each player’s career stats with the Express.
Games Goals Assists Points Penalty Min.
Tim Kirby 123 11 51 62 109
Kevin Wright 102 4 11 15 96
Scott Kozlak 48 15 16 31 40
Steve Carew* 38 23 17 40 22
*Still active
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