Nomination Troubles

[Helioptile23]

Hello,

My DD just got very odd news today. For context: she recieved a letter notifying her of a nomination from her Congressional Representative on December 30, 2022 and did not recieve a nomination from her senators (we live in an extremely competitive area).

Recently, she reached out to USAFA and emailed her admissions team about her nomination not being checked off in her portal. After waiting to hear back, the congressional office reached out to her and told her that there was a problem with their generator/system for nominees and sent her a congratulations letter on accident. So, when she recieved her "nomination", their office did not forward her name to the Academy.

As she thought she had a nomination, she did not pursue other nomination sources (VP nomination) and instead waited for that aspect of her portal to be checked off and did not hear anything until around 2 months after she recieved her letter.

We talked to her ALO and are contacting their office but we are unsure if there is anything else that we should pursue. If you have any advice, please let us know.

 

[Capt MJ]

I am so sorry to read this. Tough, disheartening, upsetting situation. Rough on your daughter, but a teaching moment for others planning to apply in the next cycle to heed what USAFA tells applicants on the website, to apply to all nom sources for which the applicant is eligible. There is no fine print that says “stop when you get one.”

I suspect if she provided the copy of the incorrect nom notification letter and requested her portal be re-opened so she could apply for the VP nom, even then, I do not think USAFA would allow the exception given their guidance on the website and knowing most applicants submitted a a VP nom application along with all other sources they were pursuing.

I do think writing a sincere letter to Admissions with a copy of that mistaken notification, along with a timeline of events, reinforcing her desire to attend USAFA and asking to be considered for any nominations USAFA manages should she be offered an appointment. This would be the letter equivalent of throwing herself on their mercy. Might not do anything, but would be a cathartic Hail Mary.

I would also follow up with MOC office to see if anyone has dropped off their slate of 10 and could she be added late. What’s not clear to me is whether she was supposed to have a nom but got left off, or was not supposed to have a nom, and was notified by mistake.

I am sure some of our resident USAFA ALO community. This is just my two cents.

 

[LTBob87]

I am so sorry to read this. Tough, disheartening, upsetting situation. Rough on your daughter, but a teaching moment for others planning to apply in the next cycle to heed what USAFA tells applicants on the website, to apply to all nom sources for which the applicant is eligible. There is no fine print that says “stop when you get one.”

I suspect if she provided the copy of the incorrect nom notification letter and requested her portal be re-opened so she could apply for the VP nom, even then, I do not think USAFA would allow the exception given their guidance on the website and knowing most applicants submitted a a VP nom application along with all other sources they were pursuing.

I do think writing a sincere letter to Admissions with a copy of that mistaken notification, along with a timeline of events, reinforcing her desire to attend USAFA and asking to be considered for any nominations USAFA manages should she be offered an appointment. This would be the letter equivalent of throwing herself on their mercy. Might not do anything, but would be a cathartic Hail Mary.

I would also follow up with MOC office to see if anyone has dropped off their slate of 10 and could she be added late. What’s not clear to me is whether she was supposed to have a nom but got left off, or was not supposed to have a nom, and was notified by mistake.

I am sure some of our resident USAFA ALO community. This is just my two cents.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I got the impression that there was not an "application" for the VP nom. It was just 1 slot per year that is managed by the SA to grace one deserving prospect a golden ticket to the fun factory.

 

[DTT!FSA!]

Service Academy Nominations | The White House

The Vice President is authorized to nominate individuals to the United States Military, Naval, and Air Force Academies but cannot nominate to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and does not nominate to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. The Vice President is the only authorized nominating authority who...

www.whitehouse.gov

 

[Capt MJ]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I got the impression that there was not an "application" for the VP nom. It was just 1 slot per year that is managed by the SA to grace one deserving prospect a golden ticket to the fun factory.

Candidates must actively apply for it. The SA makes all the decisions. No VP staff involvement.

 

[A1Janitor]

My son applied for all because he knew he was dq medically and thought having more than one nomination would offer him a better chance (I think naively).

If there is ever a time I hope they “find” a nomination for a candidate, it would be in this scenario.