| Skelton urges college-bound students to consider military service academies |
By: U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton
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Congressman Ike Skelton
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WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 12, 2010) — As chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, I have worked hard to ensure that American military personnel are the best educated in the world. I continue to believe that our military’s strength comes from the ingenuity and dedication of the men and women in uniform as well as their superb training.
High school students planning to attend college have a broad range of options today. As a graduate of Wentworth Military Academy Junior College and of the University of Missouri, I can attest to the outstanding schools that Missouri has to offer. But as students consider their higher education options, I would like to encourage them to take a look at the opportunities available at the U.S. Service Academies: the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, or the Merchant Marine Academy.
Each of these institutions offers something unique: a first class education and, upon graduation, a commission into the most powerful military in the world. Today’s students are tomorrow’s military leaders, and, whether planning to make military service a career or not, these academies impart the knowledge and life skills needed to succeed both in the military and civilian worlds.
Young people in Missouri’s Fourth Congressional District interested in attending a U.S. Service Academy should contact me. In order to apply, a student must first be nominated by his or her member of Congress, and my office is now accepting applications from students interested in entering an academy in June 2011.
Basic application requirements are as follows: the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, a legal resident of the Fourth Congressional District, between the ages of 17 and 23, and unmarried without legal obligation for support of children or dependents.
Each nominee is examined through a “whole person” evaluation format dependent on seven specific criteria: depth of character, scholarship, leadership, aptitude, physical and medical fitness, personal goals, and motivation. All of these qualities are required to meet the challenges encountered at the academies and as professional officers in the United States Armed Forces.
Those wanting to apply for a nomination to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, or the Merchant Marine Academy should write to my Blue Springs office at the following address: Congressman Ike Skelton, 514-B NW 7 Highway, Blue Springs MO 64014. If you would like to call my office regarding the application process, please ask for Kyle Wilkens of my staff at (816) 228-4242. More information on U.S. service academies is also available through links on my web site.
Congressman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) serves as chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. Congressman Skelton’s website is at www.house.gov/skelton.
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