United States Military Academy Nominations

United States Military Academy Nominations One of my most gratifying duties is to nominate young people from the 17th Congressional District of Florida to service academies. As a member of congress, I can make what is referred to as “congressional nominations.” The Nomination Process To be considered for an appointment to a service academy, an applicant must meet the eligibility requirements established by law and be nominated from an authorized person including a Member of the United States Senate or the House of Representatives. I may nominate applicants who are legally domiciled within the boundaries of the 17th District of Florida. Who Is Eligible? An applicant for a nomination must meet the following eligibility requirements as of July 1 of the year of admission to a service academy. He or she must be at least 17 years old, but not have passed the 23rd birthday, must be a United States citizen, and must be unmarried, not pregnant, and have no legal obligation to support children or other dependents. Applying To My Office For A Nomination Interested applicants, usually in their junior year of high school, should contact my Sebring office in order to receive the application packet to start the process. Please call (863) 402.9082. The completed application is due back to my office by the last business day of September and generally, by the end of December, I have submitted my list of nominees to the respective academies. Service Academies There are five Service Academies: The United States Air Force (USAFA), Naval (USNA), Military (USMA), Merchant Marine (USMMA), and Coast Guard (USCGA) Academies. Nominations are required for all but the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, to which appointments are made on the basis of an annual nationwide competition. As far as the USAFA, USNA, and USMA are concerned, there are various nomination authorities, with each eligible young person being able to apply to both United States Senators from the applicant's state, his or her United States Representative, and the Vice President (if very highly qualified). The other nomination categories are military-affiliated. With respect to the Congressional category, each Representative and each Senator is allowed to have at each of those academies at any one time five persons charged to his or her quota. There are three methods of nominating, and I use the competitive method. For each vacancy, ten nominations may be made on a strictly competitive basis. The competitive method provides that the nominees compete among themselves for final appointment determined by the admissions authorities. They take into consideration a nominee's academic record, extracurricular and athletic activities, physical aptitude, ACT and/or SAT scores, leadership ability, and medical qualifications. Such facets of an applicant's record are also considered during the nomination selection process. No person will be offered admission if he or she does not meet the physical standards of the Academy unless awarded a medical waiver. As competition for nomination and appointment is very keen, it is wise for all interested persons to apply through all sources for which they are eligible and for all Academies in which they have a real interest. An individual may be nominated by more than one nominating authority and/or to more than one Academy. With regard to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, the locality boundary for nomination by a Representative is the State in which the District lies rather than just the District itself. Each Representative and each Senator may nominate ten candidates each year to compete for admission. Please note that you must start an application process with the academy you are applying to as well as the nomination process through my office. * United States Military Academy (West Point) * United States Naval Academy (Annapolis) * United States Air Force Academy * United States Merchant Marine Academy * U.S. Coast Guard Academy

Congressman Thomas J. Rooney 17th District of Florida 304 NW 2nd, Florida 34972 Office: 863.402.9082 · Fax: 941-575-9103

Applicant Checklist for Nomination to US Service Academies

The following documents must be received by our office no later than October 1, 2017. Incomplete submissions will not be considered. If you have any questions, please contact Sherry McCorkle at [email protected] or by calling (863) 402-9082.

Please mail all information to:

Office of Congressman Thomas J. Rooney ATTN: Sherry McCorkle 304 NW 2nd St, Florida 34972 Office: 863.402.9082 · Fax: 941-575-9103 Email: [email protected]

 Completed application form with a passport photo

 Completed academic recommendation form

 Official high school transcript

 Official SAT or ACT test scores

o Not necessary if scores are on official high school transcript

 3 Sealed letters of personal recommendation

o Must be completed by someone other than a relative

Congressman Thomas J. Rooney 17th District of Florida 304 NW 2nd Street, Florida 34972 Office: 863.402.9082 · Fax: 941-575-9103

GENERAL INFORMATION

The nominee selection procedure for service academies varies with each Congressman and Senator. Service academy nominations by Congressman Rooney are handled in our Okeechobee District Office. Please feel free to contact that office should you have any questions or need assistance in completing the process. It is your responsibility to ensure your completed application and all required documentation is received in our office by October 1, 2017. Please advise those providing recommendations that they too must meet this deadline. You may call (863) 402-9082 and speak with the service academy coordinator to verify all materials and letters of recommendation have been received.

Nominating Authority Competition for nominations is competitive, therefore, we urge you to apply to every nominating authority for which you are eligible. Members of Congress may nominate applicants who meet the eligibility requirements established by law. United States Senators nominate from applicants in their entire state. United States Representatives nominate from applicants residing in their congressional districts as constituted at the time of their election. Applicants may apply for and receive nominations from both their United States Senators and from their United States Representative. Applicants may also apply to the Vice President of the United States, who can nominate applicants from across the country. An unlimited number of presidential nominations are available for children and legally adopted children of career officer and enlisted personnel of the Armed Forces, Active or Reserve, including the Coast Guard. One hundred candidates may be appointed with these nominations each year. A parent in the Reserves must be serving as a member of a reserve component and be credited with at least eight years of service or must be entitled to retired pay except that he or she is not yet sixty years old. Otherwise, the parent must currently be on active duty (other than for training) and have served continuously for at least eight years or have been retired with pay or granted retired or retainer pay. The President may also nominate the children of Medal of Honor winners. Congressman Rooney must submit his nominations to the Service Academies by January 2018. For each vacancy, he will be allowed ten nominations. The final ranking and subsequent appointments will be at the discretion of the academies. The Service Academies notify candidates of their selection by mid April. The deadline for candidates to accept or decline their offers of appointment is May 1st. Alternate appointments will be considered after that date.

Service Academy Contact

Your first priority should be to contact the academy of your choice to request a pre-candidate application. They will provide you with general information and detailed requirements for admission to their academy.

Interview

Eligible applicants will be required to have one interview. Personal interviews are typically conducted in October or November. If qualified, you will be notified of the interview time and specific location.

Review Board

After review of the candidate’s application, those invited to interview will be notified by the Congressman’s office of the time and place for their interview with the review board. This is the only date that interviews will be held for consideration for a nomination from Congressman Rooney, and no make-up dates are available. Each candidate will be considered based on his or her leadership potential, academic performance, extra-curricular activities, and letters of recommendation, personal interview and physical fitness. After all interviews are completed, the review board will meet to consider candidate’s files and submit their recommendations to Congressman Rooney who will then provide his nominations to each academy. Status Change

Please keep in mind that we have numerous candidates applying for a nomination. Should your status change at any time, please let us know immediately so we may consider others. You should also continue to pursue the opportunity to attend colleges of your choice. The academies suggest that since some colleges require application deposits prior to the date the academies announce their selections, you may wish to proceed with the application process even if you lose your deposit. It is better to have “insurance” rather than lose the chance to attend the college of your choice. NOMINATION REQUIREMENTS

Residency

Congressman Rooney can only nominate students who are legal residents of the 17th District of Florida. You, or your parents, must claim Florida’s 17 th District as your primary residence. If you have any questions regarding residency, please contact our office.

Application Form with Photo

Please complete the application form and packet as soon as possible. It is your responsibility to ensure all information is received in a timely manner. You may seek nomination for up to two Academies, please specify your preference and do not submit more than one application. Please do not affix your photo to the application. We urge you to apply directly to all academies you would consider attending. Please be sure to complete pre-candidate applications with all academies for which you are seeking a nomination. In order for the review board to consider your application for a nomination, you need to have an open application file with that specific academy. Your academy choice may be changed with our office any time prior to the October 1, 2017 deadline. An entirely new application packet must be submitted each year, even if you have applied with our office in previous years.

Academic Recommendation Form

This form is to be completed by your high school principal or guidance counselor. After completion it should be returned to you in a sealed envelope with signature across the seal for inclusion with your packet. Please be reminded of the October 1, 2017 deadline.

Numerical Class Rank/Size

Please provide your numerical class rank and the approximate size of your class. This information MUST be included in the recommendation form completed by your guidance counselor or principal. If your school does not rank students please have the guidance counselor or principal provide an accurate estimate.

Transcript

You will need to request an official transcript from your guidance counselor which includes your course listing, current GPA, grades, class rank and SAT/ACT test scores. Your final junior grades must be listed on the official transcript.

The transcript should be included in your application packet in a sealed, unopened envelope. A report card is not eligible. If you are enrolled in a college, university or academy prep school, please submit an official transcript from that institution in addition to your high school transcript.

NOTE: Minimum SAT and ACT scores should be met by the October 1, 2017 deadline to be considered for an interview. UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY

SAT 580 Verbal 560 Math Writing portion required

ACT 24 English 25 Math 24 Reading 25 Science Reasoning

UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY

SAT 560 Verbal 560 Math

ACT 23 English 24 Math 24 Reading 23 Science Reasoning

UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY

ACT 22 English 24 Math

UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY

ACT 21 English 24 Math

NOTE: No congressional nomination is required for entrance into the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

Letters of Recommendation

In order to fulfill the requirement for recommendation letters, ask three people who know you well (such as a minister, coach, scoutmaster, teacher or employer) to write a letter on your behalf; however, none of these letters should be from members of your family. These letters must be included in your application packet in sealed envelopes with signatures across the seal. Please keep in mind that one of the main characteristics the service academies are looking for is leadership. While grades are very important, academic recommendations are not the only reflection of your character. Therefore, we would appreciate your being very selective in the three individuals you ask to write your recommendation letters. We will accept only the three recommendation letters included in your packet. These three letters are in addition to the recommendation by the guidance counselor or principal who completes your academic recommendation form. Standardized Test Results

You must take either the ACT or SAT in order to be eligible for nomination during this cycle. Scores must be submitted directly to our office prior to the October 1, 2017 deadline. However, if test scores are included on your official transcript, it is not necessary to provide extra copies.

Medical Requirements

A service academy medical examination must be passed before a candidate can receive an appointment. The examination is scheduled and reviewed by the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board (DODMERB). Once taken, the examination may be used for service academies and four-year ROTC scholarship programs. The most frequently encountered problem areas include:

Visual Acuity: All candidates accepted shall have an uncorrected visual acuity no poorer than 20/400 in either eye and must be correctable to 20/20 in each eye.

Color Vision: Color blindness, complete or partial, is cause for disqualification.

Asthma: Any history of asthma is also cause for disqualification

Eligibility

Each applicant for nomination must meet the following eligibility requirements by July of the calendar year in which they will enter the academy.

Age: Be at least 17 years old, but not have passed the 23rd birthday.

Citizenship: Must be a United States citizen and a legal resident of Florida.

Marital Status: Be unmarried, not pregnant, and have no legal obligation to support children or other dependents.

It is highly recommended that you ask someone to proofread your essay for errors in spelling or grammar, sentence structure and your effectiveness in conveying your message. Timeline

Submit all required information by October 1, 2017 to:

Office of Congressman Thomas J. Rooney ATTN: Sherry McCorkle 304 NW 2nd Street Okeechobee, Florida 34972

Note: Submission to an office other than Okeechobee District office, Florida may cause significant processing delays.

Your file with an Academy MUST be updated and complete

Spring 2017- Have successfully taken the ACT/SAT test.

October 1, 2017- Application deadline including all required items.

October/November 2017- Interview for eligible applicants

January - 2018- Congressman Rooney’s deadline for submitting nominations to the academies.

Please Note: Graduation from a Service Academy obligates you to serve five years of Active Duty Service.

Congressman Thomas J. Rooney 17th District of Florida 304 NW 2nd Street Okeechobee Florida 34972 Office: 863.402.9082 · Fax: 941-575-9103 [email protected] Academic Recommendation Form for Nomination to U.S. Service Academies

This form should be completed by either the High School Principal or High School Guidance Counselor for the Candidate’s Nomination to one or more of the U.S. Service Academies. If you would prefer an electronic copy of this document please email [email protected].

Please mail this completed form to:

Office of Congressman Thomas J. Rooney ATTN: Sherry McCorkle 304 NW 2nd Street Okeechobee, Florida 34972,

NAME OF APPLICANT:

______First Middle Last

HOME ADDRESS:______***Applicant must live or have a permanent residency in Congressman Rooney’s Florida District 17.

______

NAME & ADDRESS OF SCHOOL: ______

______

GUIDANCE COUNSELOR’S NAME ______

TELEPHONE NUMBER OF SCHOOL: (Include area code) ______APPLICANT’S YEAR IN SCHOOL: ______

NUMERICAL CLASS RANK: ______GPA:______

SAT SCORE: VERBAL: ______MATH: ______WRITING: ______

ACT SCORE: ENGLISH: _____ MATH: _____ READING: _____ SCI. REASONING: _____

LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS:

______

PERSONALITY TRAITS:

______

ABILITY TO WORK UNDER PRESSURE: ______

______

LIST SCHOOL ACTIVITIES IN WHICH APPLICANT PARTICIPATES:

______

GENERAL COMMENTS AND/OR RECOMMENDATION: (Please complete this section as your comments are most helpful):

______

______SIGNATURE ______

TITLE: ______

DATE: ______

(IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE, PLEASE ATTACH TO THIS APPLICATION FORM.)

Application for Nomination to US Service Academies Congressman Thomas J. Rooney 17th District of Florida Attention: Sherry McCorkle 304 NW 2nd Street Okeechobee Florida, 34972 Office: 863.402.9082 · Fax: 941-575-9103

I. Personal Information

Name: ______Preferred name (if different from above): ______

Date of birth: ______

Permanent Address: ______

______

Cell number: ______E-mail Address: ______

Home phone: ------Father’s name: ______

Father’s Address: ______

Father’s Employer: ______Work Number: ______

Mother’s Name: ______

Mother’s Address: ______

______

Mother’s Employer: ______Work Number: ______

II. Academy Preference:

Please rank the Academies to which you will accept a nomination in order of preference (1-4):

_____ U.S. Air Force Academy _____ U.S. Merchant Marine Academy

_____ U.S. Military Academy _____ U.S. Naval Academy

(If you do not mark an Academy, you will not be considered for that academy.)

Have you applied for a Service Academy nomination to any source, congressional or otherwise, for a class entering prior to this year? Y / N If so, what was the result? ______

______

Are you a participant in a Civil Prep Academy or a Prep School Program Service Academy? Yes------No-- Please indicate all other Service Academy nomination sources to which you are applying:

_____ Senator Nelson _____ Senator Rubio _____ JROTC _____ President _____ Vice President

If you are currently serving in the military, please provide:

Branch of service: ______

Rank: ______Length of service: ______

III. High School Information:

High School: ______

Address: ______

Phone Number: ______Year you will graduate: ______

What is your rank and total class size? ______

IV. Extracurricular Activities:

List any significant student offices you have held since entering ninth grade: ______

______

In what non-athletic, extracurricular student activities have you participated at school or within the community since entering ninth grade? ______

______

List any non-athletic awards, achievements, prizes or accomplishments not listed above: ______

______

______List sports in which you participated as a member of a varsity team, and indicate letters received if any:

______

List any athletic awards or special recognition you have received: ______

______

Essay: Use separate sheet if needed

Please compose an essay no longer than 750 words discussing the following questions: Why do you want to attend a military service academy? What separates you from the other candidates applying? Timeline for the Nomination Process

October 1, 2017 Nomination applications and all required items are due on October 1, 2017 to the Congressman's Okeechobee District Office

Office of Congressman Thomas J. Rooney ATTN: Sherry McCorkle 304 NW 2nd Street Okeechobee Florida, 34972 Office: 863.402.9082 · Fax: 941-575-9103

October/November Applicants are invited to interview with the Congressional Academy Selection 2017 Committee. This committee recommends applicants for nominations to Congressman Rooney who will then submit his nominations to the academies in January.

January 31, 2018 Congressman Rooney’s deadline for submitting nominations to the academies.

Spring 2018 Academies make all decisions on offers of appointment for admission during the Spring. Final decision on admission rests with the academies. Applicants will be notified of the academies' decision throughout this period.

June/July 2018 The new classes will enter in June/July. Applicant Summary Sheet: Name: ______School: ______County:______Academy of Choice: ______GPA: ______Numerical Class Rank: ______SAT: ______ACT: ______Weighted GPA: ______Un-weighted GPA: ______Athletic: Which Sport or Sports have you participated in and how long? ______Is your FILE complete with Academy? ______(This is your reasonability), if not complete, Why?______Are you enrolled in a Military Prep Academy or do you plan to attend a Military or Civil Prep? ______Applicants will have between 15 and 20 minutes before review board. Applicants granted an interview before the board will be notified of date, time and location with official letter. For interview you may sit or stand; please introduce yourself upon arrival to podium.