DODMERB is close to the end, if I recall correctly. My son got his earlier than most, but it was ordered by USNA, not USMA. Your daughter will be kept posted through the portal on what she needs. Obviously you need to turn the red items to green. The CFA can be done any time, as long as in accordance with all requirements (I believe all need to be video recorded now). If she is in top shape now, and is ready to take the CFA now, then do it. You will see many stories of even minor injuries hindering a kids ability to take the CFA. My son worked hard on the CFA, as recommended by his WP RC, and was almost at the max on every score, but didn't take the CFA before the Sr school year started, and in the second game of the soccer season he had an injury to his shoulder which kept him from doing or practicing the CFA. Fortunately, he healed enough to get the CFA in on time. It was a good score too, but not perfect.
I would be contacting teachers who will be doing the online evaluations. You log their info into the portal, which triggers an email to the teacher. Your DD should touch base with each teacher, and tell them it is coming, and how important it is. Maybe get a summer contact number so she can follow up with them. Same with her school counselor, who will need to send verification of activities, and a school profile. In my son's case his counselor was really the point person, who nagged teachers who were not real responsive.
The nomination process can be taxing, so get on that hard core. Letters of recommendation dont always come easy, as some people are better than others about getting them done and out. Offer to do as much as possible for those who are writing. Some will tell your daughter to just email some language that she would like. Some may argue with me on this, but I wouldn't be shy about taking advantage of that. Encourage the person to modify in any way they see fit, but this is the type of letter you would hope for: ....... And then insert the dream LOR language, keeping in mind the things a panel would like to see; character, hard work, bright, patriotic, conscientious, along with examples of experiences they have had with you confirming why they know you have those characteristics.
Your DS should check the portal at least every day. Take the ACT/SAT every time it is given, and study for it by doing practice exams and going over the answers. Stay out of trouble. Be a great teammate and leader on any sports team; and seek a Captain spot. Do this stuff, and take care of business as timely as is possible. Also, visit WP and speak to an RC. The RC's will give you incredibly candid information and insight. They will pump up your candidate too. An RC told my son, "just looking at you I know you should get a perfect score on the CFA, so work hard and get there, alright? And my kid said, "yes sir". He told him to get at least a 30 on every subject on the ACT, and told him it is very doable, as he had two subject above that already, and he told him if he got them to a 31, he would get an appointment. That visit big time motivated my son. He worked hard on everything, and got ACT scores above the thresholds recomended, with 34's in math and science. The WP visits we took were great.
