Hailing from the suburbs of Dakar, Senegal, Mame Ass Diop is now one of the few African student pilots training at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, with the dream of serving the Senegalese army.
By Abdou Cisse
Mame Ass Diop, a 21-year-old Senegalese aiming to become an ace in military aviation is definitely one for the skies. Ever since he was a child in Keur Mbaye Fall, 19 kilometres to the east of Dakar, he’s had this dream.
“Flying is a passion for me,” he sighs.
A child of the troupe
His apprenticeship began in 2008 at the Jupiter school in the same town. He excelled at primary school, and in 2014 passed the entrance exam for the ‘Prytanee Militaire de Saint-Louis’ in northern Senegal.
Founded in 1923, the Prytanee is a public institution of excellence that has produced many prominent figures in the army and in public life, including General Birame Diop, current Minister of the Senegalese Armed Forces. Mame Ass spent seven years there, marked by rigour and discipline.
“From the age of 11, I was attracted by the prestige and the beige uniform of the Prytanee militaire,” he
confides.
After his baccalaureat, he went on to study at the Universite de Montréal. However, his admission to the American Air Force Academy in June 2022 marked a decisive turning point in his career.
The Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, central Colorado, one of three military academies in the United States, was established in 1954 after the Second World War. After the Air Force became a separate service in 1947 under the National Security Act, “Harold E. Talbott, then Secretary of the Air Force, appointed a commission to select a permanent site. After travelling 34,000 miles and studying 580 sites in 45 states, the commission recommended three locations: Alton, Illinois; Lake Geneva, Wisconsin; and Colorado Springs, Colorado,” the Academy website says.
“The thoroughness and military discipline that I had learned at the Prytanee were aspects that I didn’t want to give up,” Mame Ass explains.
The American military academies, renowned for their excellence, represent an ideal opportunity to further his training.
Hand-picked
Each year, there are 15 places available for international students from 82 countries. Applicants must pass the Armed Forces Laboratory English test, be unmarried and are between the ages of 18 and 23.
“I excelled at the interview and in the TOEFL test, but what really impressed the Academy was my SAT score,” he says. The SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) is a test that Americans take after high school to get into universities. With a score of 1430, he placed in the top 2 percent of participants, a remarkable feat for a non-English speaker.
He is now in his third year, specialising in aeronautics, military strategy and geopolitics, with his sights set on a pilot’s licence.
Mame Ass is one of three Senegalese students at the Air Force Academy, alongside other Africans from Ghana, Niger, Kenya and Tunisia.
“Rubbing shoulders with people from different countries enriches my perspective and strengthens my role as an ambassador” he says.
Many Senegalese prefer to stay in the country where they received their training afterwards. This is not the case for Mame Ass, who wants to “dedicate” his life “to protecting my country.”
“The Senegalese army trained me, and I owe it my loyalty. My commitment is to serve my country, and I will do so with honour,” the young soldier vows.
And to give back to Senegal, he declares that he is “ready to put my personal needs aside to live by the principles of my academy: ‘Integrity above all, service before self, excellence in everything’.”
Presence on social media
Mame Ass anticipates challenges, including the transition from the US Army to the Senegalese Army and balancing his career and personal life. He remains determined to serve his country with dedication, following the motto of the Prytanee: “Knowledge for Better Service.”
Although his training is demanding, he maintains an active presence on social media. On X (formerly Twitter), where he has fewer than 1,000 followers, he shares every important moment of his training. “I hope to use social networks to inspire and encourage young people my age to serve Senegal,” he says, promising to limit his presence if that is a requirement for his future career.
AC/Sf/fss/as/APA