confused about nominations..

P

pknguyen44

USNA '13, NAPS '09
10-Year Member
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Nov 5, 2007
Messages
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Hi everybody. I had recieved my nomination to USNA back in November, but I'm now a little confused. On my congressman's website, it says that each academy will pick one to attend the fall 2008 semester. So basically, if someone else that also got a nomination in the USNA catagory, then my shots are pretty much over or what? Correct me if I'm wrong, please!!
 
Each MOC can only have 5 cadets in each academy at any given time. That averages to one cadet slot per year, with an occasional two slots to fill. That being said, each MOC can nominate 10 candidates for each open slot and all ten are still considered as having received a nomination.

From my understanding, it's up to the individual academy to decide which of the nominees they credit to the MOC.

D was told that as long as she was in the ten and had her LOA, she was in.
 
Pknguy,

If you do not have an LOA...and your MOC did not give a principal you compete for the 1 slot. They use your WCS to determine who gets charged to the MOC.
This is why they want you try for all of the sources you qualify for. You only need 1, but if you get 4 noms, than they can charge you to a different source...i.e. Sen A and Sen B you have the highest WCS, you get charged to Sen A. Next highest candidate gets charged to Sen B. Add in a third candidate who was highest after the two of you on the MOC list, they are now the highest and get charged to Cong. C. Thus, you may be number 3 or 4 on the list, but still get it b/c number 3 can be assigned to pres. which would make #4 on the list as the highest WCS.

I hope I explained it right...and finaly there also the national pool, so the theory is you only need 1 nom to get in, but the more you get the more the SA can use to select you. At least that is how this was explained to me

Also remember selection may occur at different times for different MOC's. Your congressman may send in their list in Jan and every candidates name is in. The SA can select for them, but they cannot selct if not every cadet on the list has not completed, then the SA must wait until the list is complete or after the deadline has passed.
 
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Ranking Academies

Our senator asks for the applicant to rank the academies from which they will accept a nomination. What if my S only wants to attend USNA? How will that be interpreted?
 
Your son is not only applying to an academy, he's applying to a branch of the military. I don't think a Senator or Representative would pressume to tell you that your son should sign on the dotted line for the entire military. It is your son's life, and his future service.


I applied to USNA, USMMA, and USCGA. Sen. Frist gave me a nomination for USNA and USMMA as did Rep. Clement. Months later I was able to meet Sen. Frist who mentioned that they had given me a nomination...how he remembered MY name, I don't know, but he did. I informed him that I did not use the nomination because I accepted my appointment to the USCGA. He was happy with my decision. No one questioned when USMA and USAFA weren't on the list. I was looking for a sea service...and in the end, it's my life on the line, not theirs.


Senators and Representatives, from my experience, are just happy that your sons or daughters are willing to serve their country in the US Armed Forces.
 
Our son only applied to USAFA, so when he was asked to rank the Academies in the order of preference, he just put USAFA as #1 and didn't list any others. He knew that he wanted to be an Air Force officer, and that was it. He got the nom and the appointment, so I don't think it hurt him.

Stealth_81
 
I have always been under the assumption that they ask for this b/c they only have so many noms to give out. A friend's son put USNA as 1 and AFA as 2, he got the nom for AFA, but not the USNA. Our s put only AFA down and he receive a nom from all of his sources....once again it feels like there is no firm set rules, except to be the most competitve you can be to get a nom.
 
Glad to help.

I actually think it helped that my s only put in AFA. At his interview he was specifically asked why he didn't apply to other SAs. He was confident in his answer and told them that if he did not get into the AFA, he would still get an AF commission, since he would go ROTC. They remarked that he just answered their follow-up of what will he do if he doesn't get a nom. They than changed the follow-up to why not the other SA, he told them he wanted to fly, and not be in a tank, so thus the Army was out, and that his father (AF officer), has always said after fighting in the bad areas he wanted to make sure the runway was where he left it...thus, the Navy was out:shake:
 
I agree that it should not hurt your son if he only wants one academy, as long as he has a good answer when asked why.

My son only wanted USMA so he ranked that number one on all his nomination apps. He did not list any others. When asked at his nomination interview about it he explained that he only wanted to be in the Army. His plan B was to do AROTC in college and get his commission that way. He was determined to be an Army officer and that came across loud and clear to the nomination committee. He did receive his nomination to USMA from our congressman.
 
The theme I see running here is that if the candidate explains why they are not asking for another SA they are just as competitive as anyone, and not losing any points for saying "I just want to serve". I do not mean that offensively, there are many candidates who enjoy various aspects of ea service and they should be applauded. I believe those candidates would be happy in any service. We have a friend who applied to AFA, USNA and USCGA, eventually went AFA. Another friend whose son applied AFA, USNA (going USNA), and a third who did USMA and USNA (chose USMA). There seems to be no connection until you sit down and talk. Some wanted flying jets, some wanted helicopters and some wanted elite force (Seals, Rangers). As long as the candidate has a clear thought and can express their reasons, they will be fine in any interview
 
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