BGO - senatorial contacts

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singaporemom

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Question regarding role of BGO.

Long story short, due to an injury, son withdrew application to USAFA. Sent letters to MOC informing them.

USNA will delay his fitness test, look at his file without it, showed interest. Son emailed and faxed MOC, asking file to remain open and switching choice to USNA...gave reasons, etc. Congressman had no problem with it, he has his interview Saturday. Haven't heard from senators.

Son emailed BGO answers to questions he had asked for, and then asked if he could follow up with Senators' nomination coordinators. BGO said he had no contacts with senators' offices and to explain to them during interview. I have now realized that BGO doesn't understand the process, since our senators do not interview.

So...question...was son's request inappropriate?
 
BGOs don't generally have contacts at the MOC offices. You son should be the person to contact the senator's office with any questions/changes to his application. Each MOC office should have a person responsible for managing the service academy applications to the MOC.

GoNavyMom
 
Yes, my son has emailed, faxed, and fedex'd letters. Cannot call, since he is at school from 630am until 9pm.

Meeting with other liason officers for USMA and USAFA, the reverse was told to us...that they worked closely with all MOC offices.
 
SingaporeMom

Your son's BGO has told you he can't help with the Senator's office. The USMA and USAF liason officers may work differently. I have been told that for the USNA, that the BGO is not in contact with the MOC, the candidate is the person who makes contact.

Your son should find a way to get in touch with the Senator's office on his own. I believe it was suggested on this forum already (and may be to you) that your son ask his guidance counselor if he can use his phone or a phone in the office during the day to call the Senator.

You can spend time trying to convince your son's BGO to do something he is not otherwise willing or has within his authority to do, or your son can take responsibility for the situation and find a way to make the call.


GoNavyMom
 
^^^
We have no direct contact with MOC unless we are contacted directly by their office (this happens every once in awhile, not too often).

It is not our place to make the call, that is for the candidate. Provide the numbers and have your son call right after school (surely he has a cell phone). I'm sure that if he explained his situation to his guidance counselor and/or teachers they would permit him to make the phone call during school hours.

It is always better for the candidate to make the contact (if all else fails then the parent should step in).
 
Thanks for the info. Didn't know that BGOs had a different relationship than the ALOs we have met.

We'll see about getting him to make a phone call. After school cannot happen because of football. NJROTC officer will give him a hand during class, I'm sure.

Of course, I would not make the call...never implied that I would.
and btw..I never intended to spend time getting son's BGO to do something he won't or can't do. Just wanted to know some information, which is what I believe this forum is for.
 
I can confirm that BGOs don't get involved in the noms process. That may be different for USMA and USAFA liaisons, who are typically reserve officers, whereas BGOs may be civilians.

What BGOs CAN do is provide general advice about noms -- which ones are available, whom to contact about them, how USNA generally approaches noms, etc. And a FEW BGOs may serve, or have served, on MOC nom committees and therefore may know a lot about the process for that MOC. However, that's rare.

Some MOCs, especially in very popular/populous districts, have a staffer dedicated to SA noms. That individual is typically a great resource.
 
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