Navigating Your Way to Annapolis

1
Navigating Your Way to Annapolis

• and the other United States military service
  academies

2
Objectives

• Learn about the 5 military academies
• How to prepare for an academy
• academics, athletics, leadership, service
• The Congressional nomination process
• The application process
• What if I dont get into an academy? What are my
  options?

3
The Five Military Service Academies

• U.S. Military Academy (West Point)
• U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis)
• U.S. Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs)
• U.S. Coast Guard Academy (New London,
  Connecticut)
• U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Kings Point, New
  York)

4
SAT Score Ranges 25 - 75

• USMA V 570 - 670 M 590 - 680
• USNA V 590 - 680 M 620 - 700
• USAFA V 580 660 M 610 690
• USCGA V 560 660 M 600 680
• USMMA V 620 670 M 600 - 650

5
Steps to Follow(for the School Counselor)

• Freshman and Sophomore Years
• Identify students who may be interested in
  military careers.
• Students need to know early on that admission
  to the academies is highly competitive and
  multi-faceted.
• Students need to be supported in choosing a
  rigorous academic curriculum, doing as well
  as possible in all courses, becoming involved
  in sports, and taking advantage of leadership
  opportunities.

6
What the heck is

• DODMERB?

7
DODMERB

• Department of DefenseMedical ExaminationReview
  Board

8
Steps to FollowFreshman Year O Be a good
student. O Participate in school sports.O Become
involved in one or two community service
activities or school clubs.O If you are a Scout,
talk to your scoutmaster or troop leaders
about working toward your Eagle or Gold
award.O Visit one or more of the academies.
9
Steps to FollowSummer - Freshman Year Dont
waste your summer, do something meaningful O
Take a course O Go to a scouting or sports camp O
Work on a community service project O Learn how
to swim O Take flying lessons
10
Steps to FollowSophomore Year O Be a good
student take the best possible
curriculum, concentrating on math and
science. O Participate in school sports, working
your way to varsity level if possible. O
Stay involved in one or two community
service activities or school clubs and begin
to demonstrate leadership in them. O If you are
a Scout, work at earning your Eagle or
Gold award. O Visit one or more of the academies
if you have not already done so.
11
Steps to FollowSophomore Year - Summer Dont
waste your summer, do something meaningful O
Take a courseO Go to a scouting or sports camp,
or become a camp counselorO Work on a
community service projectO Learn how to swim or
become a lifeguardO Take flying lessons
12
Steps to FollowJunior Year O Be a good student
take the best possible curriculum, adding
honors and AP courses if possible,
concentrating on math and science.O Participate
in school sports, working your way to
varsity level if possible.O Stay involved in one
or two community service activities or
school clubs and become a leader in them.O
If you are a Scout, earn your Eagle or Gold
award.O Visit the academy(ies) to which you will
be applying.
13
Steps to FollowJunior Year (continued) O In
October, go online and apply for the
academy summer programs.O In March, take your
SAT if your counselor feels you are ready
repeat the SAT in May or June also, take
the ACT at least once.O In April, write to
the Vice President, your two U.S. Senators,
and your Congressional representative,
requesting a nomination to a military
service academy.O In April, go online and
request an application from the
academy(ies) of your choosing.
14
Steps to FollowJunior Year (continued) O In
April, go online and apply for an ROTC
scholarship with the appropriate branches
of the military.O In April or early May, ask
three teachers and your counselor to write
letters of reference for your
congressional nomination packet.
15
Steps to FollowSummer - Junior Year O Attend
one of the Academy summer programs if you
have been accepted, otherwise, do something
meaningful.O Begin to train for your PAE.O If
contacted by DODMERB, take your physical
examination.O In early summer, complete your
congressional nomination packets, send
them in, and request your school to send
your Junior year transcript to your
congressional representatives.
16
Steps to FollowSummer - Junior Year
(continued) O In August you should receive the
actual application from the academy(ies) in
which you expressed interest back in April.
If you have not received them by
mid-August, call and request an
application. Begin work on the
application.
17
Steps to FollowSenior Year O In September give
your teachers and your counselor the
recommendation forms that came with the
academy applications.O In September, ask your
P.E. teacher to administer the PAE.
Repeat if your score is not above
average.O In October, complete your academy
application and send it in.O In October, take
the SAT again, and have your scores sent
to the academy(ies) to which you are
applying.
18
Steps to FollowSenior Year (continued) O If
contacted by DODMERB, take your physical
examination.O Have your congressional nomination
interviews. Academy field representatives
also will interview you.O If invited,
take an overnight visit at the academy.O
Stay in touch with your academy admissions
representatives, making sure that your file
is complete. Take care of any medical
issues raised by DODMERB.
19
Steps to FollowSenior Year (continued) Spring O
O O Accept your appointment. O O O Summer O O O
Report for duty. O O O Congratulations!!
20
The Congressional Nomination

• The congressional nomination authorizes the
  academy to offer an appointment.The usual
  nomination sources are
• The Vice President
• Senator Jon Corzine
• Senator Frank Lautenberg
• Local congressional representative

21
Other Sources of Nomination

• Presidential sons and daughters of career
  military personnel
• Sons daughters of Medal of Honor awardees
• Sons daughters of deceased disabled
  veterans
• ROTC programs
• Enlisted soldiers, sailors, airmen of
  regular service and reserve components

22
The Congressional Nomination

• Nomination Anomalies
• Nominations are not needed for the Coast
  Guard Academy
• The Vice President does not nominate to
  the Merchant Marine Academy

23
Nomination Categories

• Principal with numbered alternates
• nominator ranks candidates 1 through 10
• Principal with competitive alternates
• nominator assigns principal candidate and leaves
  remaining candidates unranked
• Competitive
• nominator presents a slate of 10 unranked
  candidates

24
Non-Academy Options

• Academy Prep School Programs
• ROTC program in civilian college
• Apply again next year - nearly 1/3 of cadet
  classes are students who have had one or more
  years of college
• Attend a non-government military college

25
SSK
PAE
D O D M E R B
Candidate Pool / Open Files
failure to respond to Wally
periodic queries (access)
VAC
was partial sked med
Q medical ?
request waiver
Qmed
VAS
Wally Card
med DQ
Q WCS
some mistake letter
no show
Q WCS
fail
VAS
pass
reschedule letter
yes
first time?
no
RC eval
Q WCS
PAE check
incomplete
26
Qmed or pending waiver QPAE or PAE checkd
Wally Card
Q PRTCSAG ?
incomplete
complete
R/C Math? English? CEER?
wait for nom
R/C recommends
A/C Math? English? CEER?
no
VAS
DQ
Prep?
Class Composition
other
Q
QNS others
USMAPS
WPPSP
LOA !
no
competitive? select?
yes
yes
QNS first 100
OFFER !
ROTC Scholarship !