https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USMA_Color_Guard_on_Parade.jpg 9-10-16

West Point cadet color guard on parade on the Plain (picture from U.S. Military Academy at West Point)

Come learn about opportunities in the US. Service Academies and College ROTC at Congressman Jim Himes’ Service Academy Day, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10 at Norwalk High School.

You can get information on how to apply to the service academies and other opportunities for those interested in military service after high school.

Congressional staff will be at the event, along with representatives from

  • The United States Military Academy (USMA) in West Point, New York.
  • The United States Naval Academy (USNA) in Annapolis, Maryland.
  • The United States Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) in New London, Connecticut.
  • The United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) in Kings Point, New York.
  • The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

An applicant for a nomination must meet the following eligibility requirements as of July 1 of the year of admission to a service academy: He or she must be at least 17 years old, but not have passed the 23rd birthday, must be a United States citizen, and must be unmarried, not pregnant, and have no legal obligation to support children or other dependents.

Applicants must be nominated by an authorized person including a member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives. Himes may nominate applicants who are legally living in the 4th Congressional District.

To begin the application process, apply for a nomination from Himes’ office by downloading the application packet. The completed application is due back to his office by Oct. 4.

Interviews will be held on Oct. 25 and 26. Phone interviews are available if necessary.

For more information, contact Michael Dunn in Himes’ office at Michael.Dunn@mail.house.gov or  call 203-333-6600.

Additional Information

From Himes’ website:

There are five Service Academies: The United States Air Force (USAFA), Naval (USNA), Military (USMA), Merchant Marine (USMMA), and Coast Guard (USCGA) Academies. Nominations are required for all but the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, to which appointments are made on the basis of an annual nationwide competition.

As far as the USAFA, USNA, and USMA are concerned, there are various nomination authorities, with each eligible young person being able to apply to both United States Senators from the applicant’s state, his or her United States Representative, and the Vice President (if very highly qualified). The other nomination categories are military-affiliated.

With respect to the Congressional category, each Representative and each Senator is allowed to have at each of those academies at any one time five persons charged to his or her quota. There are three methods of nominating, and I use the competitive method.

For each vacancy, ten nominations may be made on a strictly competitive basis. The competitive method provides that the nominees compete among themselves for final appointment determined by the admissions authorities.

They take into consideration a nominee’s academic record, extracurricular and athletic activities, physical aptitude, ACT and/or SAT scores, leadership ability, and medical qualifications.

Such facets of an applicant’s record are also considered during the nomination selection process. No person will be offered admission if he or she does not meet the physical standards of the Academy unless awarded a medical waiver.

As competition for nomination and appointment is very keen, it is wise for all interested persons to apply through all sources for which they are eligible and for all Academies in which they have a real interest. An individual may be nominated by more than one nominating authority and/or to more than one Academy.

With regard to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, the locality boundary for nomination by a Representative is the State in which the District lies, however, all applicants applying to my office for nomination to the Merchant Marine Academy must live in the Connecticut Forth District

Please note that you must start an application process with the academy you are applying to as well as the nomination process through my office.

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