VA State nominations

Peter

5-Year Member
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Jun 9, 2010
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I'm going to start up this thread because I haven't seen anyone from Virginia post up anything yet for this year...besides a few notable people.

Anyway, I received Senator Mark Warner's nomination December 18.

Still waiting for my congressional nomination (VA-10). Anyone else from VA?
 
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Congratulations Peter! DS has a MOC nomination to USNA and we are from VA-11 :thumb:
 
Congratulations Peter! DS has a MOC nomination to USNA and we are from VA-11 :thumb:

Good to hear! Was it from Senator Jim Webb? I haven't heard anything from his office since placing my application.
 
I might be incorrect, but I believe VA is a state where the MOCs "talk", at least it has been for previous yrs.

The reason why can be for multiple reasons.

1. Large amount of military bases
~ Pentagon
~ Belvoir ---Army
~ Quantico --- Marines
~ Norfolk ---Navy
~ Langley --- AF

Plus, Bolling and Edwards are on the MD/VA border along with Meyers, so some military members will live on the VA side, and not the MD side....just because of school districts in the area.

Where bases/posts are located they usually have a larger pool because kids grow up oohing and aahhing at that life.

2. USNA is what people would consider right down the road from NoVA.

SA's also are like bases/posts, it has an allure to kids.

No VA is a highly competitive area. WE reside in 11, and I have to say with no offense to anyone who is not in 11, I am impressed with a nom from Connolly.

Fairfax school system's budget is larger than the lowest 8 states. In other words, Ark spends less as a state than this 1 county.

When Money, USNWR and Fortune rank top public HS's in the nation, the majority of the FC HS's are on the list. I remember reading at one time that the avg SAT for a Fairfax (dist 11) SAT was 1350 out of 1600...That is avg...in other words 1300 and you are below avg,

TJ, which is a public hs, magnet, has been kicked off these lists and placed onto the top private HS's in the nation, and still for yrs running is number 1 in the nation.

Academically in VA it is hard to compete against Fairfax, and that brings it back to why they "talk". The MOC's want diversity and they want to meet the SA stds., but if they didn't talk in VA, from MPO, you would see alot of Dist 11 getting apptmts compared to the rest of the state, just due to rigor of their school system.

Now before you all flip out and start to think as a Fairfax or PW candidate you are boffed. Many of these applicants also have a very high WCS and are pulled in that way.

I don't remember the thread that existed, but one did, and for the District 11 candidates 9 out of 10 got in via other sources...Supe, Presidential, VP, etc.

You need to remember that the nom gets you in the door, but it is your WCS that will get you an apptmt.

Your nom source is not necessarily the source that will be charged for your apptmt.
 
DS's nomination is from Congressman Connolly. We have not heard anything from Senator Webb's office either. I did hear that Senator Warner would not offer a nomination to someone who has a nomination from another source. I'm hoping that doesn't mean DS is out of luck on any other nominations :confused:
 
If things stay traditional to previous yrs, that means they are out of the running for other noms,

VA is not the only state to do this. CA, CO, NY and TX comes to mind very quickly.

Again the upside is academically for PAR VA students do very well which is 60% of the WCS.

Keep reminding yourself that there are multiple ways to get apptd/charged, all you need is the nom. to start the process.

Also, it is not uncommon to not hear from the 2nd Senator until later because what they will do now is to cross reference the noms given on all of the slates(Sen A and MOCS) and move on from there to spread the wealth.

A nom from a Senator is no more prestigious than one from the MOC or President. It is just a slate for the SAs to use to get the candidates into the SA.
 
Last year, DS received a nomination from Bobby Scott (VA-3) on Feb 3. He didn't get nominations from either Warner or Webb. I can't find the letter from Warner, but Webb's was dated Feb 5.

DS didn't get an appointment last year and reapplied for Class of 2015. This time he got a nomination from Warner :smile:. He's still waiting to hear from Scott & Webb, but is assuming he won't get either of those noms since he already has one from Warner.
 
Brass I don't the SA he is applying to, but traditionally they like to see that commitment from the candidates.

Plus, if he went ROTC he probably has their nom too, which gives them more freedom when it comes to appointing. I hope he did try for the ROTC nom.

The reason people say go for every nom possible, is because the more slates you are on gives them more flexibility in appointing.

For example:

You do not apply for a VP nom, that means they can not charge you to the VP, and that is one less slate you are on so now you fight it out from a WCS point on the other ways they can get you in.

Highest WCS wins! Every slate you are on that has other candidates who get appointed from another slate moves you up the latter.

I.E.

You are number 2 on Congressman's list for your WCS, but number 1 on that same list was number 1 on the Sen.'s list, that means they go to the Cong. list and no. 2 gets it.


Had you never applied for the Congressman's nom, and only the Sen. you would be SOL.

It really hard to grasp while you are in it, but with time and watching how it plays out you will get it.

You can have 4 or 5 noms and still not get in...in the end of the day it is the WCS and how they work it at the SA to get the best qualified in that determines anything.

For those waiting, let me say this it is a numbers game, and remember one of the greatest generals we think about from current perspective was not an SA grad, but an ROTC grad. His name was Colin Powell.

For SA cadets and parents that was not meant to make light of the great education and military instruction they receive via the SA, it was to remind those who get a thin envelope and want to make it their career that it is not over just because they are ROTC.

The SAs are the pinnacle at this point in your life, and what anyone should strive for if they want a military career, but it is not the deciding factor of your AD life.

Embrace whatever you get.
 
My son received Congressman Forbes' (VA-4) nomination to the Merchant Marine Academy.
 
My congressman (VA-10) will be sending out letters this week as to who did or did not get nominations. It should be exciting.

Still haven't heard anything from Senator Webb...for those who have gone through the nomination process already, does he usually do nominations pretty late? His office hasn't even notified me about the interview yet.

Congrats to your son though johnmar5!
 
Our DD is a HOKIE, trust me I have never seen a college that has more school spirit than VT.

They have rabies, and it runs in the colors of Maroon and Orange.

OBTW if you go that route Nick4060 on this site is an AFROTC C300 Hokie...in other words class of 12.

You will find him lurking on the ROTC threads...start a VT thread and I am sure he will chime in!
 
Peter

My son received a nomination from Webb last year and he saw it on AFA website about 2 weeks prior to actually receiving the letter. Based on that experience it could be pretty late or it could have been an anomaly. It was late enough that he also got a nomination from his congressman, which as Pima said is rare in VA.
 
Peter

My son received a nomination from Webb last year and he saw it on AFA website about 2 weeks prior to actually receiving the letter. Based on that experience it could be pretty late or it could have been an anomaly. It was late enough that he also got a nomination from his congressman, which as Pima said is rare in VA.

Ah thank you. I should give them a call...last time I called the office, which was about 2 or 3 weeks ago, the person in charge of nominations told me she was still looking through all the application files.
 
Brass I don't the SA he is applying to, but traditionally they like to see that commitment from the candidates.

Plus, if he went ROTC he probably has their nom too, which gives them more freedom when it comes to appointing. I hope he did try for the ROTC nom.

He's Corps of Cadets/Navy ROTC at VA Tech (Go Hokies!) He's applying for ROTC & VP noms, so he's covered all the bases.

For those waiting, let me say this it is a numbers game, and remember one of the greatest generals we think about from current perspective was not an SA grad, but an ROTC grad. His name was Colin Powell.
...
Embrace whatever you get.

I couldn't agree more! DS was one of the many 3 Q'd, multiple nom candidates last year who didn't receive an appointment. VT was his "backup," but it's turned out really well. If he gets an appt to USNA this time around he'll accept it, but if not he'll be very happy to stay at Tech and get his commission via ROTC.
 
Has anyone heard back from Wolf yet (10th district). I'm a USMA candidate and I have yet to receive word back.
 
Has anyone heard back from Wolf yet (10th district). I'm a USMA candidate and I have yet to receive word back.

Finally, a 10th district person! haha...according to Ms. Poctonack, who's in charge of the nominations, they just sent out the letters last night. Therefore, I believe it should be around Tuesday when you should receive them (since Monday is the holiday).

Have you heard anything from Senator Warner or Senator Webb?
 
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