I'm also an enlisted soldier applying for admission to class of 2024. I received an LOA for 2023, but due to unforeseen circumstances I had to withdraw my application and will be reapplying for the upcoming cycle when the application opens up this Summer. That being said, allow me to inform you on as much as I know regarding this process.
First and foremost, I am active duty. I'm not very sure how the guard process works, but there is a user on this forum under the handle Honey_Badger who was recently granted a 2023 appointment via the National Guard pipeline and has been very helpful with my questions regarding the process. I'm sure he would be more than willing to help you out too! He has a post in the forums where you can ask questions regarding the enlisted soldier to USMA process:
https://www.serviceacademyforums.co...ndidate-admin-kit-complete.67190/#post-662527
The path is uncommon, but the odds are better. Since USMA has a designated amount of slots for enlisted soldiers, and it's rare that they meet or exceed the quota, if you can become 3Qd you've got a much more solid chance of admission as opposed to a 3Qd civilian. Also, all enlisted soldiers are AUTOMATICALLY considered for admission to USMAPS if they are not directly admitted.
As mentioned, yes, an appointment to the academy trumps your service obligation. There is a caveat, however. Your contract with the National Guard will effectively pause when you PCS to USMA. If you fail to make it to your Reaffirmation Oath or otherwise quit, leave, or dis-enroll from the academy for any reason, your contract will be reinstated and you will be required to fulfill the remaining service obligation.
It is still a very rigorous application and selection process, and you still have to pass the CFA and complete the application in its entirety. It's just that the service commander nomination takes the place of the MOC nomination. You will also still be required to take the SAT or ACT, but judging by your plan and status of your application, you've already completed that. It is very common for the soldier SAT average to be considerably lower than that of civilian applicants, so this is a plus if you're not the most academically inclined (I may or may not be speaking from personal experience).
As far as GETTING the nomination, it's a matter of who, what, when, where, and why. My previous commander absolutely detested West Point and therefore blatantly refused to endorse me. When I PCSed, I began talking with my commander early about what he'd like to see from me in order to secure his nomination. Make sure you get the ball rolling as soon as you can, as this gives your commander more time to assess you while you cultivate your skills. Personally, I was counseled on a few things that my commander wanted from me before he was willing to endorse me. I wrote an essay, had to reach and maintain a certain PT score, had to branch out into the community and log any leadership and volunteer service, and I had to receive a nomination from one of my drill sergeants. Again, this is all contingent upon your commander.
If you're looking to pursue this option, I recommend taking advantage of the split-op program. This way, you can knock out basic before R-day (a requirement). When you get back, you can focus on your application and securing your nomination. Judging by your timeline, it looks like we'll be applying around the same time if you don't get a direct admit for 2023. Let me know if you have any questions, I'd love someone to talk to and work through the process together with!
