How does this happen?

The Commissioner

The Commissioner

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Sep 4, 2006
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My wife is reading the local daily newspaper today when she screams out. I ask what's going on and she excitedly shows me the big headline on the page reserved for student/academic news: "Congressman X nominates The Commissioner's son."

Normally this is good news except that my son never applied for a nomination from this MOC. He was asleep at the switch and missed the MOC's application deadline so no paperwork was ever sent. This MOC requires an essay and an interview among other things.

The only thing I can figure out is that USMA contacted the MOC and said, "Hey, we have a kid from your district at the Prep School. Make sure he gets a nomination." What's really strange is that we found out about this unsolicited nomination from the newspaper. My son never received a letter or call from the MOC's office!

Just when you think you get this process figured out, something unforeseen happens. :confused:
 
Haha. The congressman simply "activated" his file and applicaton from last year.
When my daughter contacted our congressman last summer they just said to send final hs transcripts and a note saying she was reapplying. We also send her AOG scholarship information. He just did a phone interview but it was a formality.
For one of the senators - she simply had her transcripts sent and never did the rest of the application. She got a letter in the fall scheduling her phone interview.

It is funny that your congressman never contacted him informing him that he won a nomination - did he check online - is the nomination posted? Yeah you are probably right USMA probably contacted him.

Anyway - it's good that he got one, now the academy doesn't have to used one of the nominations for those in the Reserves - there are only 85 of those available.
 
Just_A_Mom said:
Haha. The congressman simply "activated" his file and applicaton from last year.
Click to expand...

I'm not so sure about that. Our Congressman wasn't in office last year.

Knowing what I know about the transition from the old Congressman to the new one, I seriously doubt that applicant files that were acted upon were transferred.
 
Well I know our Congressman's nomination mgr was telling me last year that he rarely uses his 5th slot - he saves it for "emergencies". He had a case where a constituent was at the Prep school (I forget which one - ) and completely forgot about applying for a Congressional nomination and they realized it late in the winter - the academy contacted the congressman to see if there was one available for him.

I think the academy definitely intervened on behalf of your son - good thing too!
 
Commissioner, this is wonderful news. I had been wondering....now I can say CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
:tank1:
 
Antoinette said:
Commissioner, this is wonderful news. I had been wondering....now I can say CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
:tank1:
Click to expand...

Antoinette, thank you! :smile:

The odd thing about this nomination is my son didn't 'need' it because he'd already secured a nomination from the senator; the same senator whose committee rejected him last year. What a difference a year makes!
 
Oh boy - so you son was "asleep at the wheel" and didn't apply for a nomination from his congressman but applied for one from a senator? wow.
I do wonder then if the academy did intervene.
Water over the dam now - Congratulations!
 
Just_A_Mom said:
BTW - any idea when the kids at USMAPS will receive their appointments?
Click to expand...

Won't be until April for most and into May for a few who need lobbying of the admissions board by the Commandant. At this writing, the prepsters are still in the application process.
 
Just_A_Mom said:
Oh boy - so you son was "asleep at the wheel" and didn't apply for a nomination from his congressman but applied for one from a senator? wow.
I do wonder then if the academy did intervene.
Water over the dam now - Congratulations!
Click to expand...

Check this out: last year as a high school senior my son applied for nominations from our Republican Congressman and Republican Senator. He didn't apply to the Democratic Senator. When asked why, he said, "We're Republicans. He won't give me a nomination." DOH!! His BGO nearly had a hysterectomy when she heard he deliberately didn't seek a second senatorial nomination.

It's funny now.
 
Oh my! :eek:
What would he have done if all three were Democrats?
Our congressman is a Democrat and he has Republicans serve on his committee.
 
That's funny....I think they go out of their way to be non-partisan. When son was 11 he participated in a scout led flag ceremony at a fundraiser for one of our senators (he was running at the time). The president was the special guest. Afterwards the soon-to-be senator took pictures with all the boys. We included one of those pictures w/ the app for the nom with a note "we've met before..." Guess which senator chose NOT to even interview him??

When I have needed congressional help with other items, I began my calls or emails with "I am a registered voter in your district who voted for you in the last election." However, we left all of that out of any nom contacts. Will we vote for the two who gave noms? Absolutely...but it was a non-partisan process. I'm glad it worked out for the commissioners son at any rate!
 
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