LOA vs principal appointee question

If the MOC nominates 10 candidates unranked and one has an LOA, does that candidate automatically get his principal slot? Or, is he removed form the competition for principal as he just needs the nom? Grateful for anyone who knows he facts here. Thank you!

It's up to the MOC as to how he/she ranks the slate, but a candidate with an LOA needs any nomination, not necessarily a Principal nom, for an appointment. If a candidate with an LOA has multiple noms (J/ROTC, Presidential, etc), it may not even be charged to the MOC. And if a MOC submits an unranked slate, my understanding is that no one is Principal. I think a competitive alternate slate means there is a Principal.

I thought every MOC has a principal appointee whether he chooses them or sends in an unranked slate and the academy chooses them for him.

There is good thread on this here already, but no, the MOC does not need to have a principal. In fact, I've heard most senators do not have principals. Representatives seem to choose one more often.

mrs. m said:

I thought every MOC has a principal appointee whether he chooses them or sends in an unranked slate and the academy chooses them for him.

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If the MOC sends in an unranked slate then, by definition, there is no principal nominee.

Our MOC submits an unranked slate - does not designate a principal. He lets the Academy do the choosing. I think it is probably a better way to do it, at least I hope.

LOAs and principal noms are not really connected.

LOAs are given out by USNA and say that, if the candidate is 3Q'ed and has a nom, he/she is guaranteed an appointment.

Principal noms are given out by SOME MOCs. If the candidate has a principal nom and is 3Q'ed, USNA must give him/her an appointment.

Obviously, if an LOA candidate is also the principal nominee, that person must be given that MOC's appointment (if fully qualified).

However, if the principal nominee does not have an LOA and someone else on the slate has an LOA, and both are fully qualified, both will receive appointments. USNA will need to find another appointment source for the LOA candidate -- probably SecNav (a source to which you cannot apply for noms but to whom appointments can be slotted).