Phantom Eagles

The Phantom Eagles are the elite cadre of metahuman students at the United States Academy of Extranormal Studies at Evanville, Indiana, and are generally recognized as the best students at the Academy. They are recognized for their jet-black versions of the basic cadet uniform, and for their unflinching adherence to acting as a group (in one example, when one Phantom Eagle was found to have commited an infraction of the rules, the entire cadre accepted punishment, in the form of extra calistenics).

Founded in 1984 and named for both the national symbol of the United States of America and the secretive nature that metahuman soldiers and special agents hold in the ranks of Federal Service, the Phantom Eagles have a strict adherence of only accepting 108 cadets into the cadre at any given moment. Competition to become an Eagle is fierce, and the choices for new Eagles occurs at the end of the school year on the day after Commencement, in keeping with the policy that there can only be 108 Phantom Eagles at one time.

The Phantom Eagles have the option to reside in Covell Hall, the eight-floor dormitory/facility set aside for the cadre. Female Eagles live on the second, third and fourth floors, while male Eagles live on the fifth, sixth and seventh floors. (Because of the small number of Phantom Eagles, there are always extra rooms available; these are reserved for honored guests, including potential cadets that USAES wishes to make a very strong impression upon, and some family members.) The Eagles quarters also has their own personal cafeteria and full-service exercise facility (including an Olympic-style pool and diving pool), as well as a small auditorium/theatre where films and television programs can be shown on a 400-inch, ultra-thin plasmascreen television, and a shielded subterranean bunker for emergencies (tornadoes, etc.), and it's own dedicated power generator. (In an unusual turn, Carolyn Field chose not to reside in Covell Hall, but instead in Swedlund Hall, where the other female members of The Alliance are housed.)

On those occasions where an USAES presence is requested or when the Academy wishes to do so, the Phantom Eagles are usually sent to represent the school. The Eagles are exquisitly skilled in color guard activities, and perform regularly in national and international competitions. In addition, it is a standing tradition that each year, two Phantom Eagles who have declared their intention to select Federal Service as Special Agents in the Law Enforcement sectors (FBI, DEA, etc.) are allowed to serve their internship year as members of the United States Secret Service Presidental Detail. This is traditionally reserved for female Cadets Third Year who have no marks on their record.

A surprising tradition that has developed at the Academy is that if a cadet is accepted as a Phantom Eagle, he or she can never be considered for the posts of Cadet Commander or Deputy Commander of Corps. It is also tradition that a Phantom Eagle is automatically selected for whatever service billet or Federal Service position he or she requests upon graduation.

The current Cadre Commander of the Phantom Eagles is Jason Todd. Another Phantom Eagle of note in Carolyn Field of The Alliance.