Helping Young Leaders Serve Our Country

One of my great privileges as a Member of Congress is the opportunity to nominate a select group of young Nebraskans to attend the U.S. Service Academies. These institutions provide a first-rate education and unmatched opportunities for young people looking to achieve their highest potential in education and service.

Each year, students contact my offices to ask how we can help them accomplish their goal of serving our country. I have nominated young men and women to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York; the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland; the U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colorado; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York. The honor of attending a service academy comes with an obligation and commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation.

To provide Nebraskans interested in this unique opportunity with more information, I am hosting my annual Academy Day on April 18, 2015, in conjunction with the offices of U.S. Senators Deb Fischer and Ben Sasse. The event will take place at Central Community College in Grand Island from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. CDT. Academy Day will provide you with the information you need to determine whether an education at a U.S. Service Academy is the right choice for you or your child. Representatives from the academies will be in attendance to discuss the application process, academy life, and benefits of enrolling.

In order to be considered for nomination, students are required to complete two steps. First, a completed Academy Packet must be submitted to my Grand Island office with a postmark date no later than September 30, 2015. The packet provides academic records, letters of recommendation, and other relevant information to help make the decision.

The second step to receive a nomination is the required personal interview. In early November 2015, students who have completed packets by the required deadline will be invited for an interview with the Academy Advisory Committee, which has been established to help evaluate applicants for nomination.

Once these steps are complete, I will nominate a select few for admission. Ultimately, the final decision to admit a nominee belongs to the Academies. Criteria for admission include personal merit, academic achievement, character traits, leadership ability, physical aptitude, and extracurricular involvement. For more information about the Academy Packet and the nomination process, please visit my website: https://adriansmith.house.gov.

Earlier this year, I was nominated to serve on the U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s Board of Visitors for the 114th Congress. In this role, I look forward to working with our U.S. Service Academies to continue their extraordinary legacy of preparing young people for service to our country.

Nebraska has a rich history of service, with many patriotic young men and women willing to step forward to answer the call of duty. It is my honor to help our accomplished young people take advantage of the opportunities provided by the U.S. Service Academies and cultivate our country’s next generation of military leaders.