LOA

Temper expectations until all barriers are removed. There are reports here every year of LOA, no nom, therefore no appointment. USNA has a very small handful of discretionary noms they can dip into, if they choose. But they may choose not to or simply do not have enough.

A restrained happy dance is in order with full happy dance abandon permitted once a nom is obtained.

Agree with the recommendation to provide a copy to Congressional staffers in advance and bring a copy to interview, mention with humility.
 
I have heard various comments about discretionary nominations from people that I consider generally well informed.

Are these discretionary nominations from the Superintendent, or are you referring to ann alternate double top secret nomination?

I’m asking purely because I’m curious, and not because I am thinking beyond the customary nomination routes.
 
Hyman Minsky said:
I have heard various comments about discretionary nominations from people that I consider generally well informed.

Are these discretionary nominations from the Superintendent, or are you referring to ann alternate double top secret nomination?

I’m asking purely because I’m curious, and not because I am thinking beyond the customary nomination routes.
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Review the pinned post at the top of the Nominations forum.

Dive into this for details on all types of noms, sources, and numbers:

 
There are noms, and there are spots available in each class based on nominations.

Things like ROTC noms. Lots of people get them. But ....... each class can only use 20 spots in the class with those as the nomination source. Those aren't great odds!

Similarly, each MoC (Senator and House rep) can only have a total of 5 people at the Academy at any one time attributed to them, through all 4 classes, not just per year. Yet, they can nominate a slate of 10 people each year. Even there, the odds aren't great.
 
IronmanDaremo said:
There are noms, and there are spots available in each class based on nominations.

Things like ROTC noms. Lots of people get them. But ....... each class can only use 20 spots in the class with those as the nomination source. Those aren't great odds!

Similarly, each MoC (Senator and House rep) can only have a total of 5 people at the Academy at any one time attributed to them, through all 4 classes, not just per year. Yet, they can nominate a slate of 10 people each year. Even there, the odds aren't great.
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It’s a good thing the nom rules allow the SAs to choose other fully qualified nominees off elected official slates and charge those to other nom authorities they control.
 
Yup. Hence the reason it is always to one's advantage to apply for any and every nom they are qualified for as it gives the noms and appointments team options!
 
Wait, so if my Senator already has five Mids at USNA, his allotment is technically "full"/used up, my DS is wasting his time interviewing regardless of whether he gets on the slate? And I presume most people have no idea how many Mids their MOC has currently at the Academy.
 
Only one Mid is charged to the MOC each year. Sometimes 2 are charge when he has 2 slots open. But there is always one "on deck" because a 1/C is always about to graduate and commission. That's how I understand it anyway (in practice).
 
See above ^^. They always try to have at least one slot per MoC available each class year. So, 3 available for your kid (at a minimum).

However, in some states/districts they share the wealth and only give one nom per kid. Our district does that. It is incredibly rare that both a Senator and the House rep will give the same SA nom to a kid where we are (and the staffers actually told my kid that in the emails they sent to indicate nom status). We're also in one of the most competitive areas for USNA applicants, which might explain that.
 
kinnem said:
Only one Mid is charged to the MOC each year. Sometimes 2 are charge when he has 2 slots open. But there is always one "on deck" because a 1/C is always about to graduate and commission. That's how I understand it anyway (in practice).
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Yep, that’s it. When those Class of 2024 1-2 mids graduate next May, they leave vacancies behind to be filled by the next incoming class in June.
 
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SeePower said:
Wait, so if my Senator already has five Mids at USNA, his allotment is technically "full"/used up, my DS is wasting his time interviewing regardless of whether he gets on the slate? And I presume most people have no idea how many Mids their MOC has currently at the Academy.
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To add to the above nom info. Each vacancy has its own slate. My ds got a late senatorial nom 2 years ago when one of our senators got a call from USAFA that they had 2 vacancies instead of 1 for the upcoming year. Senator hastily put together an additional slate of 10 which included my ds. It was a really nice surprise for him.
 
My nephew had an early LOA, but had to wait to clear DODMERB from a concussion several months earlier. Once the medical clearance came through he received his official appointment about a week later.
 
MOCs can nominate 10 individuals (slate) per available slot. While MOST try to have at least one slot available each year, SOME MOCs have not correctly managed that resulting in NO slots in a year (this goes against what USNA recommends to the MOC…however, MOCs are free to run the nomination process the way they want to). You can ask your MOC how many slots they have.
-By law, all slate winners are CHARGED to that MOC. Once this calculation is made, the next 150 are selected (in order of merit) who are not slate winners, but are on a MOC or delegate (DC, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Marianas) slate. These are NOT charged against a MOC/delegate. If you are not on a MOC/delegate slate, you won’t be considered as one of these 150.
-The Superintendent CAN appoint up to 50 individuals. However, I have heard, on average, only 2-3 Superintendent appointments occur per year and as you can infer from the low number…it isn’t used to “find” a nomination for those who weren’t successful. This later point was emphasized pretty strongly during a past BGO training.
-The SECNAV can appoint 170 enlisted from the Navy and Marine Corps (85 active duty and 85 reserve). Additionally, the SECNAV can appoint 20 from NROTC and JROTC (combined).
-The President is allowed/charged 100 appointments from individuals who qualify for this source.
-The balance of the class is filled on a 75% (individuals who were not VP/MOC/delegate slate winners or in the next 150 order of merit [per above]…however, American Samoa and Northern Marianas doesn’t count for this part) to 25% ratio (all other sources).

One of the takeaways…NOT having a MOC/delegate nomination is at a severe disadvantage.
 
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Capt MJ said:
Review the pinned post at the top of the Nominations forum.

Dive into this for details on all types of noms, sources, and numbers:

Click to expand...
Thanks. I’ve read through that thread and the report. The way that some describe so-called found nominations have made it seem as if there is an additional nomination source beyond what is in the CRS Report. This response affirms my understanding, thank you.
 
And yet, there are people who get an LOA, but don't have any of their own nom sources secured that don't get an appointment. 🤔

If there is supposed to be some rank/order for people who don't secure an MoC nom, one would think the Academy would want to take the people they gave an LOA to as they seemingly want them in the class profile.

Because my kid did get in during his second cycle, I'm not overly bitter, but there is still quite a big lingering, "Why not him???? You obviously wanted him since you gave him an LOA, and at the end, the nom was the only thing not secured."
 
usnabgo08 said:
MOCs can nominate 10 individuals (slate) per available slot. While MOST try to have at least one slot available each year, SOME MOCs have not correctly managed that resulting in NO slots in a year (this goes against what USNA recommends to the MOC…however, MOCs are free to run the nomination process the way they want to). You can ask your MOC how many slots they have.
-By law, all slate winners are CHARGED to that MOC. Once this calculation is made, the next 150 are selected (in order of merit) who are not slate winners, but are on a MOC or delegate (DC, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Marianas) slate. These are NOT charged against a MOC/delegate. If you are not on a MOC/delegate slate, you won’t be considered as one of these 150.
-The Superintendent CAN appoint up to 50 individuals. However, I have heard, on average, only 2-3 Superintendent appointments occur per year and as you can infer from the low number…it isn’t used to “find” a nomination for those who weren’t successful. This later point was emphasized pretty strongly during a past BGO training.
-The SECNAV can appoint 170 enlisted from the Navy and Marine Corps (85 active duty and 85 reserve). Additionally, the SECNAV can appoint 20 from NROTC and JROTC (combined).
-The President is allowed/charged 100 appointments from individuals who qualify for this source.
-The balance of the class is filled on a 75% (individuals who were not VP/MOC/delegate slate winners or in the next 150 order of merit [per above]…however, American Samoa and Northern Marianas doesn’t count for this part) to 25% ratio (all other sources).

One of the takeaways…NOT having a MOC/delegate nomination is at a severe disadvantage.
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Just confirming, a senatorial nomination is considered a MOC nomination right? And a senatorial nom would allow one to be selected in the top 150 who don’t win their slate?
 
DaveyfromtheNavy said:
Just confirming, a senatorial nomination is considered a MOC nomination right? And a senatorial nom would allow one to be selected in the top 150 who don’t win their slate?
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Applies to Senator and Representative slates, yes.
 
IronmanDaremo said:
And yet, there are people who get an LOA, but don't have any of their own nom sources secured that don't get an appointment. 🤔

If there is supposed to be some rank/order for people who don't secure an MoC nom, one would think the Academy would want to take the people they gave an LOA to as they seemingly want them in the class profile.

Because my kid did get in during his second cycle, I'm not overly bitter, but there is still quite a big lingering, "Why not him???? You obviously wanted him since you gave him an LOA, and at the end, the nom was the only thing not secured."
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I am sure it"s been asked before, any idea how many people get LOA?
 
No idea. We tend to see quite a few here as the people who find this forum and post tend to be the hard driven go-getters looking for all the best information. But, rumor on the street is it is not that many. And, they can come at any time whereas other SAs may only give them out in batches at certain times.

I'll never know why my kid got one, although I have some thoughts (great academic resume in a strong district, distance running prospect at the time, and maybe a hardship case with losing his mother at 8 years old). Didn't matter anyway as he did not get the appointment that cycle, even with the LOA.
 
scottb said:
I am sure it"s been asked before, any idea how many people get LOA?
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It seems USMA gives more LOAs than USNA does based on
1. USMA promoted LOA very early in application cycle by sending LOA of LOA
2. DS got one from USMA back in July --but has not yet got one from USNA.

For DS, it is an honor to have an LOA -- in particular if he fails to get a nomination. LOA means more for someone who does not get an appointment -- which is the real goal.
 
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