Libby senior appointed to U.S. Air Force Academy

Last Wednesday, U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester congratulated Colin Maloney, a Libby High School senior on his appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Maloney was nominated on Dec. 9, 2016 and went through an extensive screening process before being officially appointed.

“It seems like a noble thing to do,” Maloney said, noting that the academy has been in the back of his mind for many years since his uncle, Mike Potkulsky went to the academy when he was his age.

Maloney received his letter from the academy on Saturday.

“You get a free college education, but at the same time you get to see and do a lot of cool stuff,” Maloney said.

Maloney received nomination from both senators, and both senators called Maloney on Wednesday to congratulate him.

“It was pretty exciting talking to them personally because they’re busy men and they don’t have a lot of time to make phone calls,” Maloney said.

Maloney is a top cross-country runner at his school and plays varsity soccer, tennis and basketball. He attained the rank of Eagle Scout in 2014 and has served with the Youth Conservation Corps. According to his mom, he is at the top of his class, and she joked in an interview with The Western News back in December that his vocabulary is better than his parents’.

“Colin has shown the motivation and dedicated needed to succeed at the highest levels,” Daines said in a press release. “I am thrilled to congratulate Colin on this appointment and applaud him on his commitment to serve our nation.”

Maloney will go to basic training on June 29 for six weeks. Next fall, he will attend classes at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.

“Colin’s experience as an Eagle Scout, National Honor’s Society member, and student government representative gives me immense faith in his ability to excel academically and lead fearlessly, and his varsity letters tell me he can more than keep up athletically,” Tester said in a press release. “He is an ideal candidate for the U.S. Air Force Academy and I know he will do our state proud.”