Political Nomination Interview Questions..

dyu123

5-Year Member
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Jul 4, 2010
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What are some of the frequently asked questions in the interview for political nomination??
 
TPG is correct, there are no set questions.

They can range from
"I see you got a C in AP Calc, but a 5 on the test, can you explain why?" to "what was the last book you read that wasn't required" or "do you believe we should draw down in Afghanistan based on a date set"?

Every MOC board will pose different questions, and even the same board my pose different questions to the candidates.

Additionally, not every MOC will have an interview board. When our DS went through the process, only one of the 3 had an interview. The remaining 2 selected the candidates from the application/resume alone.

The committees typically are very similar in their make up...MOC staff member, community leaders, and ALO/BGO/MALOs. The interview date varies from MOC to MOC. In our state (NC) Sen. Burr did not interview until January.
 
The committees typically are very similar in their make up...................................... ALO/BGO/MALOs.
Many, if not most, on both sides, would consider this a conflict of interest.
 
Many, if not most, on both sides, would consider this a conflict of interest.

For better or worse I know of a MALO and a BGO who serve on our congressperson's nominating committees. Maybe they recuse themselves from interviewing one of "their" candidates -- I don't know.
 
For better or worse I know of a MALO and a BGO who serve on our congressperson's nominating committees. Maybe they recuse themselves from interviewing one of "their" candidates -- I don't know.

You are correct.

I chair the AFA nomination board for my MoC and have for several years. The USNA/USMA/USMMA boards are also chaired by BGO's, etc., or at least senior officer graduates or senior graduates that left the service and entered civilian industry. But we're all selected by the MoC.

There is no conflict of interest. We do not interview our candidates. This past cycle I had to recuse myself 3 times during the interviews. That is normal and never an issue. When it came time to rate all the interviewees, we did that and when my 3 candidates came up, I simply did not participate and the other board members rated them.

It works very well and our MoC has never had a concern.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
As USNA1985 states: The ones that I know who sit on these boards are highly ethical and will not sit in the interview for a candidate they have dealt with.

Edit: What Steve states above is exactly what happens with the board I am familiar with as well.

Hi,

Thanks very much for this comment. It help me to think about my ideals.

Tks again and pls keep posting.
 
Maybe they recuse themselves from interviewing one of "their" candidates.

We do not interview our candidates. This past cycle I had to recuse myself 3 times during the interviews. That is normal and never an issue. When it came time to rate all the interviewees, we did that and when my 3 candidates came up, I simply did not participate and the other board members rated them.

The ones that I know who sit on these boards are highly ethical and will not sit in the interview for a candidate they have dealt with.

Thanks. I think we are saying the same thing. I would argue that a recused member is not an effective member and can adversely affect the board’s cohesion.

In any case, a candidate should probably never expect to see their BGO/ALO/MALO at their own board.
 
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I don't think it's necessarily a big deal. There are a variety of methods the MOC's use to form their boards and interview their candidates.
My Congressman has a pool of about 30 individuals with a wide variety of backgrounds - Democrats, Republicans, business leaders, military officers, school officials. They all bring their own experiences and outlooks to the selection process.
They look at who can make the interview date each year and divide them up randomly into 3 or 4 groups of 4-5 individuals. Then they divide the applications up by first academy choice and assign them to a group.
During the review, they also make every attempt to offer a nomination to those who are academy worthy.
In a small tight knit community, it would not be uncommon for a candidate to know someone on the review board. In the context of a board of several people, personal knowledge of one person probably won't be enough to cause any conflict of interest.

Additionally, while the Naval Academy assigns BGO's to high schools, West Point generally assigns them by Congressional District. If the MALO serves on the review board, it is likely he/she would know all the candidates, not just a select few for whom to lobby.
 
I would hope -- and expect -- that BGOs and MALOs would want the very best candidates to be appointed to their institutions and would handle everything in that manner. Doing anything else doesn't benefit the SA they are serving.
 
Another poster stated:
"In any case, a candidate should probably never expect to see their BGO/ALO/MALO at their own board."
A pretty large blanket statement for 435 + 100 x 3/4 boards.
Local experience for 3 boards (USMMA excluded) was these folks served actively, but don't know if they abstained on the "voting". Bottom line is they represent their respective academies well and assist their individual applicants well but not at the expense of each others' candidates. Each SA had 5-8 board members, 15-25 applicants and 10 nominations handed out for each, except one board only gave out 8 nominations for the 15 who applied. I understand that determining the cut off, between #10 (or #8) and #11 was not that difficult. No issues.
 
I was on a MOC board before I became a BGO. The MOC SA Coordinator called me one year to ask me to be the chairman of their board. I gladly accepted and 'oh, by the wayed' that I was now a BGO. After a slight pause, I was told that my services were no longer needed on the Board at all, that it was a conflict of interest. I didn't quite agree so every new MOC in every location, I have asked. About five different staffs, they all hold the same view. In their defense, how can one do their job if they have to recluse themselves for half the candidates? Kind of presents an incomplete view when voting, does it not? Bottom line, different areas, different perspectives, perhaps. Or perhaps, in some areas there are too few qualified military to separate the two which is not the case in the areas with which I am familiar. The system is kind of a check and balance with two independent looks.
 
I know of at least one MALO and one BGO in my general geographic region who have been on an MOC board for years and still are.

My view is that, in most areas, there are sufficient people willing to "serve" in one capacity or the other (MOC Cttee or BGO/ALO/MALO, etc.) that there should be no need or reason for overlap. Such is the case where I live.

I could see some areas where there are insufficient folks to do both and, in that case, if there are sufficient "fire walls," I suppose it's a necessary evil, if not an ideal situation.
 
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