VP Candidate

Pima

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Nov 28, 2007
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Just out of curiosity does anyone know of the person who ever received the VP nom? I would love to know their background, b/c I think it would be interesting!

Afterall, they are the 1 of the very few at any SA
 
My son received a VP nomination to USMA last year. It was a huge surprise! However, he chose USAFA (with congressional nomination).
 
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Darla,
Just curious - Had he also received a congressional nomination to USMA as well?
 
Out of curiosity, did they explained how they chose him, or just here you go. I guess USMA now has at least 2 openings this yr...or could they offer that to another candidate?

When did you find out about the nom...trust me we have no expectation of receiving one, but I find it so interesting that at any SA there only 5 vps, but all they ask for is a letter and nothing else. I have a friend whose BGO told her not to try because he'll never get it, where our ALO said you try for every single one out there
 
JAM & Pima - No, it was the weirdest thing. Son's 1st choice was AFA, #2 USNA, and #3 USMA. He got 1 congressional & 2 senatorial noms to AFA, 1 congressional to USNA, and nothing to USMA. He didn't even have an interview with the MALO -- no contact with him whatsoever. Then on March 30, he got two significant pieces of mail: the VP nomination AND an offer of appointment to USMA. We are still scratching our heads as to why and how it all happened.
 
So where did he end up?

This is how I THINK it happens - It makes perfectly sense for your son to receive the VP nomination since he did not receive another congressional nomination.

You son was obviously a very highly qualified candidate - did he have an LOA anywhere?
The academies decide who gets the VP nominations. The VP really has nothing to do with it - all information is sent to the academy. My gut feeling is that the academy uses these nominations for those candidates whom they want to appoint and who were not able to secure another nomination. In your son's case - he was left off obviously because his MOC's awarded him his first and second choices. They could also use this in cases where a candidate's MOC doesn't not have a slot available to fill.
I seriously doubt you would see a candidate who was awarded a congressional nomination also win a VP nom - there would be no point to it - but then again weird things do happen!

Did USMA know he applied to AFA and USNA? I think they did. Even if he never got a interview from his MALO - they work closely with congressional offices.
Does any of this make sense now?
 
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Did the vp come as the same as MOC's, or did they send it in a pretty package?
 
Let's see. . . where to begin? I guess, first off, I would consider my son very AVERAGE (and below average when comparing to the CC crowd). In fact, to ward of depression last year :wink: (when reading all of the fabulous stats of the college confidential applicants), I kept telling myself, "This is just a small sampling of ALL of the candidates."

But there must have been something in his package that the academies liked because he got a LOA from USNA and USMA. He had to plow through a DoDMERB issue (braces). But with a promise from the orthodontist that they would be off by the end of March, he was granted a waiver from the three academies to which he applied. He did not get a LOA from AFA. However, they were the first to send an offer of appointment. Btw, since that was his first choice -- that is where he is. And for as much as one can love the first year, he is loving it and doing pretty well. We are thankful.

JAM, I think you are exactly right when you said, "...the academy uses these nominations for those candidates whom they want to appoint and who were not able to secure another nomination. In your son's case - he was left off obviously because his MOC's awarded him his first and second choices."

Yes, USMA knew he applied to other academies and that USMA was his 3rd choice. (A Maj. working in admissions called him in January. He was very forthright with his preferences.)

Pima, there was nothing fancy about the letter from Mr. Cheney. In fact, it looked just like the one he received at the beginning of the process that said something like, "thank you for requesting a nomination...we are passing your name on to the academy...don't send us any more information...we'll be in touch..." So when the nomination arrived (son was out of town) I figured it was just a "thanks, kid, but no thanks" kind of thing. I called our son to tell him that a letter had arrived and asked him if he wanted me to open it. He said yes. And then I about died from shock. "It is my pleasure to inform you that I have nominated you..." With him still on the phone, I went through the rest of the mail and on the bottom of the pile was THE big envelope from USMA. Again, with his permission, I opened it and could not believe my eyes!!
 
Happy for your son, but I was kinda hoping you would tell me that it arrived via secret service:shake: or at least Cheney would call...let's be real only @1 a year.

I would be like you, actually I could hear the conversation in my head

Mom are you there...Mom...Mom what's going on...Mom can I speak to Dad?...DAD...DAD somethings wrong with Mom, pick up the phone...is anyone there?....MOM...DAD...anyone I am going to hang the phone now and call you right back:shake:
 
So between reading this thread and another similar one on another forum got me thinking about that elusive VP nominaton -

I went and reread the US Code title 10 regarding nominations - the ONLY mention of the VP nomination is in the clause defining the size of the brigade and this:
Five cadets nominated at large by the Vice President or, if there is no Vice President, by the President pro tempore of the Senate.
Five being the TOTAL number of cadets at an academy with a VP nom at one time.

There is no slate of "10 nominees" and you can't be appointed as an "alternate" with a VP nom.
So - this is what I deduce---

When you get a VP nomination you get an appointment. The VP nomination is the Legal Authority for the academy to appoint you and you would probably not get an appointment without it.

My gut feeling is that the academies use these for highly qualified candidate who for some reason fail to get a nomination.
In Darla's son's case it makes perfect sense.
Here you have a highly qualified candidate who didn't get a nomination probably because the MOC's felt that since they had nominated this candidate for his first and second choice he was all set.
USMA however - in the elusive search for the "best class possible" still wanted to have a chance with this candidate and chose him for a VP nomination (since he applied) and was the able to offer an appointment.
My guess would be that when Darla's son declined the appointment - the academy then looked at the pile of applicants and chose another worthy candidate.

Having this offer was good for Darla's son as well - hmmmm why? Well occassionally there are candidate who have DoDMERB dq's and these will be waivered by one academy and not another academy - i.e. color vision problems. If this had been the case then her son would possibly have a very good option available in USMA.

This illustrates exactly why candidate should apply for ALL nominations available - even if they are recruited or have an LOA.

Make sense???
 
Darla, would you mind posting your son's stats and ecs. I would be interested to know what is required for an LOA, without being like the cc crowd. Thanks!
 
I would prefer to not share specifics. He's just an average kind of guy. He scored below 700 verbal and math on the SAT and above 30 on the ACT. (Therefore, I always recommend kids take both tests.) On the physical side of things he was (is) in fabulous shape. He maxed almost all of the elements of the test.

I think one of the things my son had going for him was he had over 500 hrs. of voluntary public service. He is an extremely hard worker, sets his own goals, and doggedly pursues them.

Hope this helps a bit. Feel free to PM me.
 
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