Letter of Assurance + Nomination = What now?

bpoythress

bpoythress

5-Year Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2014
Messages
7
Hi everyone,

I'm new here as of a few months ago, and haven't been very active in posting until today (funny how that works... you don't ask questions 'til you have questions to ask, eh?)

I received an LOA from the Air Force Academy last month, and since then have received a nomination from my congressman. My question involves where I go from here, or more importantly, where the Academy goes from here. My understanding is that the Academy is obligated to select a nomination committee's number one candidate, even if that candidate is not their first pick. If my congressman uses this type of nomination (listed in order of preference) is there a chance that if I was not first on that list, I may not be receiving an appointment?

Of course I know anything can happen, the Academy can change their mind, etc., but all things remaining the same, can I expect to receive an appointment with an LOA in hand even if my nomination committee did not put me first on their list?

Thanks!
 
First, congrats on both your USAFA LOA and Nomination.

Second, it sounds like your asking what are the potential outcomes for you if you received a Principal nomination and you aren't the Principal nominee. You might want to simply call your MOC's office and inquire what type of nomination you have received.

I suspect others will chime in. But based on appointments in previous years, USAFA candidates with both a LOA and a nomination from any source received an appointment.
 
My understanding is LOA + Nomination + 3Q'd = Appointment. So assuming you are fully qualified (CFA/DODMERB/Academics) you would then get the appointment. :thumb:

There are a large number of appointments that go to candidates from the national pool (They didn't win their respective slate). You don't need to win the MOC's slate, you just need the nomination...
 
Please explain the national pool. I thought it was one per MOC slate, VP and Presidential?
 
Bpoythress.

You have an LOA, it doesn't matter if you are on a slate that offers principals. You just needed to be on the slate to get the appointment.

The principal will be charged to the MoC and you will be charged to another source. For example, the Supe can be charged X amount of candidates, but the Supe can not nominate any candidate.
~ This would be one of those national pool options.

If you do the math. MOCs can have @ 635 total every year (535 MoCs, and they are allowed 5 charges at any given time). Presidential gets 100. Military (prior E) get X amt, ROTC gets 20 and VP gets 5. That only equals to be 800 +/- for nominating.

However, they give out @1300 appointments. The 500 or so will come from the national pool and be charged to sources that cannot nominate. IE the Supe.
 
gokings814 said:
Thanks, Booze! Wow, CC's explanation should be made into a sticky note!
Click to expand...

No problem. I've been around long enough to know what name to add to my searches for answer to questions to make them useful.

CC - Nomination process, Sports, and ALO type questions for AFA
PIMA - AFROTC and Pilot path type questions
Hornet - Logistics number crunching and lately the Medical wavier process
LFry94 - Prep School and current AFA experience
Flieger - AOL and hands down the most help person I've ever met
Scout - Knows the Army inside and out
LITS - CGA and also his experience on 5 and dive (which isn't a bad thing)
usna1985 - Navy if you couldn't guess
fencersmom - non-standard sports and overall reality checker
raimius - which single handedly has one of the greatest post on his experience from HS to helo pilot training. Should be a sticky but that's my opinion. I made his name a link just click it to read it.

Don't get me wrong there are many others but hey are the ones I tend to search the most.
 
But some MOCs could have more than 1 vacancy/slate in a given year assuming drops/attrition? In that case they would likely nominate 10 per slate/vacancy and get 1 charged per slate?
 
QBsdad said:
But some MOCs could have more than 1 vacancy/slate in a given year assuming drops/attrition? In that case they would likely nominate 10 per slate/vacancy and get 1 charged per slate?
Click to expand...

Yea, verily, that is correct.
 
So the overall impression I'm getting is that if I have an LOA and receive a nom, it doesn't matter whether I was the principle nominee or not?

Please forgive my lack of familiarity with the mechanics of this whole process - early on, I tried to limit my knowledge of the process simply so that I wouldn't be as worried about it. I suppose we see how well that worked out.
 
Yes, because you have an LOA you just need a nomination. MoCs that know they have a candidate(s) with an LOA may opt to go the principal route because in a way it is spreading the wealth.

By giving a principal to a non LOA candidate they will automatically have at least 2 from their slate appointed. The principal and the LOA. If they did not give a principal the LOA candidate could have the highest WCS and then be charged to the MOC. Meaning they will only be guaranteed that one candidate.
 
Update

Thank you everyone for your input. I wanted to drop a quick update: a week and a half after my nomination, I still only appear as a candidate with an LOA. How long should I expect to wait before receiving an appointment? When I spoke with my admissions counsellor, he told me everything "looked good" except for the absence of a nomination, which I took to mean I was qualified in the other areas (physical and medical.)

I've been on the edge of my seat since I got my LOA :p
 
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