3. ... It's..good to remember, USMMA isn't a military academy. Jasper I can't remember if you were in the military, but either way, I'm fairly certain you realize the military doesn't have political approvals for every decision, promotion or advancement. And then, for some reason, ROTC programs don't have to have that "accountability?"
Another interesting statement from your own perspective - a) first while "USMMA isn't a military academy" = it's the only one authorized to have a Battle Standard and for good reason. And b) not that it's relevant to this conversation but, I, like the majority of USMMA graduates, was in the military. At least as much in the Military as any ROTC graduates or for that matter and in my opinion, most USCGA graduates who serve their obligations without doing so during a time when the USCG is placed under DoD control.
Further what any of that has to do with whether or not having a Congressional Review Board involved in the Selection Process for a Federal Academy is a good or bad thing is beyond me.
As further food for thought, I suggest we think about this, since you brought up the whole length of tradition idea. Were it not for a Congressional Review and Nomination process and the so called favoritism that might have come into play, do you really, honestly think that George S. Patton would have been selected for a spot at West Point? Read any biography of Patton and think about what it tells you of his challenges with learning and schoolwork and then tell me that a simple process without an interview and some mix of ideas, etc would ever let Patton into West Point. My point here being that you keep citing places like Harvard, etc. as the models that a process without Congressional Nominations should be based upon. However, they don't have anything like the mission that ANY of the five Federal Academies have and they don't have the obligation to make sure they develop leaders of services and industries that are by their very nature constantly evolving and diverse. A human hand in the process, especially several human hands, including those of a nomination board, as well as the admissions office staff, etc. doesn't detract from the process, it likely adds to it -especially when as is the case every one of these schools has more prospective applicants then spots to offer.
Finally I continue to not understand your point or issue with the Congressional Nomination process - especially those with interview boards. First you say nobody who knows anything about the Academy is involved, then when I cite that as not being true in at least 15 instances, you disparage the process in Tennessee - for not having members who meet your personal critera and are apparently too old -
" no youngsters there, just pre-1980 grads or ROTC folks, WHEN they were on the board."
I guess I don't understand this statement most of all since assessing charachter doesn't seem to be something that requires only younger people, and certainly isn't something tat I worry about ROTC folks doing. I'm thinking there are more than enough current and recent senior Officers who are products of ROTC programs. For example: Colin Powell; Admiral Clingan; Admiral McRaven; Admiral Winnefeld; General Hostage, USAF and the list could go on. I guess if any of those folks came out on an interview board, you'd question their ability to properly judge and select candidates because all of them would be BOTH ROTC folks AND pre-1980 grads.
At this point I am exiting this thread for good, it is totally irrelevant to any sort of possible useful information for prospective candidates and it's now nothing more than a debate about whether or not there should or should not be Congressional Nomintions required for admittance to any SA. Since the current situation and law that requires them for four of the five and does not require them for the USCGA isn't likely to be subject to change anytime soon, that doesn't seem like a great use of time or keystrokes to me.
For interested and/or prospective candidates for USMMA - a Congressional Nomination from either a US Senator or US Congressman from the State you resie is required under the applicable Federal laws that govern USMMA. By and large, the best current information as to how to obtain that nomination is on the varios Members of Congress' Websites. If you need further advice you can contact the Academy's admissions department and/or a local Admissions Field Representative in your State. Best of luck to all in their quest and journey to gain admittance to whatever SA is their choice.
