Military Academy Nominations
U.S. Service Academy Nominations
Thank you for your interest in the U.S. Service Academies. As your Representative in the U.S. House of Representatives, each year I have the privilege of nominating a limited number of people to four of the five service academies. A Congressional Nomination is needed to be considered by:
The U.S. Air Force Academy http://www.academyadmissions.com
The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy http://www.usmma.edu/admissions
The U.S. Military Academy http://www.westpoint.edu/admissions
The U.S. Naval Academy http://www.usna.edu/admissions
A Congressional Nomination is not required to attend the U.S. Coast Guard Academy http://www.cga.edu. Interested applicants should apply directly to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
All applications will be reviewed to determine which students meet the qualification standards. Those students that meet the competitive standards will be interviewed by my Academy Review Board. Please note you must start an application process with the academy you are applying to, as well as the nomination process through my office and a nomination does not guarantee an appointment to an academy.
You should also consider looking into the Academy Summer Programs held at each academy. The military academies offer one week summer programs for high school juniors. The selection for these programs is highly competitive. Online applications open in January and close mid-March each year. Look on the academies’ websites for more information about their summer programs.
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.
What is a Nomination?
Members of Congress may nominate applicants who meet the eligibility requirements established by law. A candidate may apply for a nomination to more than one service academy and in fact, you are encouraged to apply to more than one, assuming that you have the sincere desire to attend. I may give more than one nomination to an applicant. Keep in mind that you must open a file and keep it current at each academy while also seeking a nomination from me. A nomination from me does not guarantee an appointment to an academy. If you are a recruited athlete, you must also go through these steps to request a nomination.
It is also recommended that you apply for a nomination from all of the following sources:
This will increase your opportunity of gaining a nomination.
You may also apply to President Trump, assuming you meet the criteria.
What is an Appointment?
• An appointment is a selection made by the individual academies after you have received a nomination. You will be competing with other nominees in the areas of academics, leadership potential and physical aptitude. An appointment gives you admission to an academy.
What are the basic eligibility requirements?
• Must be at least 17 years of age, but not yet reached their 23rd birthday on July 1st of the year admitted to an academy;
• Must never have been married and have no legal obligation to support a child;
• Must be a citizen of the United States;
• Must be men and women of excellent moral character who are trustworthy, emotionally stable, and motivated.
What are the residency requirements?
• Applicants must be residents of the 15th Congressional District which currently encompasses parts of Clark, Fayette, Franklin, Miami, Shelby, and all of Madison County.
• NOTE TO MILITARY DEPENDENTS: If you are a military dependent, you are required by law to apply for a nomination in your legal domicile.
Medical Qualifications?
All physical examinations are conducted at designated Department of Defense medical examining centers. Examinations will be conducted only for those candidates who have been officially scheduled by the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board (DODMERB), a tri-service agency responsible for scheduling and evaluating examinations for all of the U.S. Service Academies. You will receive instructions for taking the medical examinations directly from DODMERB.
Fitness Assessment?
The Candidate Fitness Assessment (CFA) measures your strength, endurance, and agility. There are six events in this test: basketball throw (from kneeling position); cadence pull-ups; shuttle run; modified sit-ups; push-ups; and the one-mile run. Candidates are advised to prepare and practice for this examination by engaging in vigorous activities such as running, general conditioning exercises, and competitive games. Details on the CFA can be found in the appropriate academy catalog, along with height and weight standards.
Academic Qualifications?
To be considered for a nomination to an academy, the applicant must take the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and/or the American College Testing Program (ACT). It is strongly recommended that both the SAT and ACT tests be taken to see which one measures your educational background most favorably. Applicants are advised to check test dates carefully with their guidance counselors. Applicants should have an academic record that reflects scholarship, difficulty of school curriculum, and a strong work ethic.
When should you apply for a nomination?
• Interested applicants should contact my office usually in the spring of their junior year of high school. For instance, those students who plan on entering the academy in 2026 (graduating class of 2030) should start this application process during the spring of 2025.
Who should you contact to request a nomination application form?
• To receive an application, you must first complete the Application Request Form indicating your desire to request a nomination from me.
• The deadline for completing and returning the Application Request Form is September 19, 2025.
• Once my office receives this completed form, you will be emailed a Nomination Application Form that will be sent via email to the email address listed on the Application Request Form. Make sure that you list an email address that you check.
What required items must be included in the application package?
Please click here for a printable checklist.
Application Request Form (hyperlink to form)- Deadline: September 19, 2025
All of the following items must be received by Congressman Carey’s Columbus Office by October 17, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.
□ Congressman Carey’s Nomination Application Form
• Once the Application Request Form has been received, the application will be emailed to the student.
□ Official Transcripts
• A legible certified/official copy of your high school transcript must be included with your application.
□ SAT/ACT Test Scores
• It is recommended you take the SAT/ACT standardized tests as early and as often as possible.
• The academies consider the highest test score received in each category regardless of when that score was received. You may have an official report of your scores sent directly to the office or you may submit a printed copy of your test scores directly to the office.
• Please be mindful of the individual ACT and SAT deadlines to allow for plenty of time to have the test scores submitted to our office prior to the deadline. While the academies can accept later test dates, we cannot.
□ Photograph
• You must submit one recent wallet-size photograph of yourself, be sure to print your name on the back of the photo. The photo is used for identification purposes only.
□ Three Letters of Recommendation
• Three letters of recommendation are required. One letter must be from either a teacher or counselor.
□ Personal Essay
You are required to submit a personal essay (maximum of 250 words) on what motivates you to attend a service academy and the goals you have for your military career. You must sign your essay.
What is the deadline for submitting the application package?
• The 15th Congressional District deadline for returning all completed application packages to the Lancaster District Office is October 17th, 2025 at 5:00 p.m.
• If your file is not complete by the deadline, you will not be eligible to be interviewed by the Academy Review Board.
• Please refer to the Nomination Informational Packet and Instructions for a list of important dates and submission deadlines.
How is the interview process handled?
• Congressman Carey’s Academy Review Board will interview applicants who have returned their completed application package to Congressman Carey’s Office by the deadline date of October 17th, 2025.
• The Board is comprised of individuals throughout the 15th Congressional District including active and retired military, members of the clergy, educators, businesspersons, etc. many of whom are academy graduates.
• The interviews will be held on a Saturday in November.
• Eligible applicants will be notified of the date and time of their interview in advance.
How is the nomination process handled?
• We use the competitive method, which is the method favored by 80% of Members of Congress. Under this method, Congressman Carey can submit an unranked slate of up to fifteen nominees for each vacancy. Each year we have at least one vacancy at each academy.
• The academies have their own selection board that then ranks the fifteen nominees in order of merit in accordance with the specific academy system.
• The most highly qualified is selected for an offer of appointment to fill that one vacancy.
• The other fourteen nominees then go into a national “pool” where they compete with other applicants for available slots.
For additional questions, please contact the Service Academy Coordinator at 614-499-0561.
All items should be mailed to Congressman Carey’s Columbus District Office at 140 E. Town Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215 or sent by email to Branden.Meyer@mail.house.gov.
For more information or to view the above information in printable format, please click the links below.
Service Academy Nomination Informational Packet and Instructions