3-2. Congressional and Department of the Army nominations
a. Congressional nominations, a maximum of 10 per vacancy, are those made by the Vice President and Members of Congress; Delegates to Congress from American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Virgin Islands; the Governor and the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico; and the Resident Representative of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands. Candidates can be nominated by one of three methods:
(1) Congressional competitive method. Congressional nominees compete within their vacancy group, and the best of the fully qualified candidates is selected for admission to fill the Congressional vacancy.
(2) Principal-competing alternate method. This method is the same as above except that if the principal is not qualified, the best of the fully qualified alternates is selected for admission to fill the Congressional vacancy.
(3) Principal-numbered alternate method. Congressional nominees, if qualified, are selected for admission to fill the Congressional vacancy in the order designated by the nominating authority (principal, first through ninth alternates, respectively).
b. Department of the Army nominations are those made by the Secretary of the Army for the following categories: Presidential, Regular Army, Reserve components of the Army, members of ROTC units, children of deceased and disabled veterans and of persons missing in action, and children of Medal of Honor recipients. Except for children of Medal of Honor recipients, all Department of Army nominees compete within their category, and the best of the fully qualified candidates are selected for admission by the Academic Board. All fully qualified children of Medal of Honor recipients are selected for admission.
c. Qualified alternates. These are nominated, admissible applicants who are not offered an appointment in their Congressional competitive category; up to 150 of these individuals may be appointed, in order of merit, to each entering class (10 USC, 4342(b)(5)).
d. Additional appointments. If it is determined that, upon the admission of a new class, the number of cadets at the Academy will fall below the number authorized, the Secretary of the Army may, in the proportions indicated in the statute, fill vacancies by nominating additional cadets from qualified candidates designated as alternates and from qualified candidates who competed for nominations and are recommended and found qualified by the Academic Board. An additional appointment under this section may not replace an appointment otherwise authorized by law (10 USC 4343).
e. The Superintendent may nominate each year, under the provisions of 10 USC 4342(d), 50 persons from the country at large.