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Military Academy Nominations

The honor of attending a service academy comes with the obligation and commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation. For more information, please review the page of Frequently Asked Questions for those seeking a Military Academy Nomination (linked here).

There are five military service academies in the United States. Through Congressman Blumenauer's office, you can apply for a nomination to four of the academies (the Coast Guard Academy does not require congressional nominations). You begin the application process by contacting the academies you wish to attend and starting a pre-candidate file with them. The academies are:

Once you have contacted the academies, contact Congressman Blumenauer’s office and the offices of Oregon's Senators to begin the nomination process (Senator Wyden and Senator Merkley). You can also write Congressman Blumenauer at the address below or call the district office at 503-231-2300. Congressman Earl Blumenauer 911 NE 11th Ave, Suite 200 Portland, OR 97232. Please make sure you meet the important qualifications listed below:

Service Academy Qualifying Factors

  • Must be at least 17 but not yet 23 on the 1st of July of the year of entry into the Academy.
  • Must be a citizen of the United States.
  • Must not be married, pregnant or have legal obligation to support a child.
  • Physical requirements vary according to academy.
  • Competitive academic record and extra-curricular achievement.

Applying for Congressman Blumenauer's nomination

Applications for the Class of 2029 are due on or before Friday November 1, 2024.

 

Applicant Instructions

  1. Complete the Pre-Candidate file with the desired academy/academies. Each academy has its own Pre-Candidate application system, available on their respective websites.

  2. Submit Application form, Extracurricular Activities Profile and Personal Theme Letter. The online application form is linked below. Applicants should upload their Extracurricular Activities Profile (template linked below) and Personal Essay using the online form. The personal theme is a short (300-500 word) essay explaining the applicant’s motivation for attending an academy. 

  1. College Entrance Examination Board Scores (Optional). If you choose to send scores directly from testing services, Congressman Blumenauer’s score codes are: 

  • 4107 for the SAT 

  • 7629 for the ACT

High School Principal, Head of School or Guidance Counselor Instructions

Note: Applicants will supply the name and email for their High School Principal, Head of School or Guidance Counselor on the online application form. Our office will send the following instructions to them:

  1. High School Evaluation Form. To be filled out by the applicant’s high school principal, head of school or guidance counselor. In the case of home-schooled candidates, the principal/head of school/guidance counselor letter may be written by a relative. 

  1. High School Transcript. Transcripts should be in a school sealed envelope or an official transcript. If the applicant has graduated from high school, preparatory school, or college, a final high school transcript and transcript of advanced study should be submitted.

These can be sent via mail to Congressman Blumenauer’s District Office or via email to Kathie.Eastman.Tell@Mail.House.Gov

Recommender Instructions

Note: Applicants will supply the name and email for their desired recommender on the online application form. Our office will send the following instructions to them:

  • Letter of Recommendation. Please send only one letter of recommendation. Recommendation letters must be from non-relatives. Additional letters of recommendation will not be considered.

Letters can be sent via mail to Congressman Blumenauer’s Portland Office or via email to Kathie.Eastman.Tell@Mail.House.Gov.

Academy Admission Offices

To obtain catalogs and other specific information on the academies, contact them directly:

Air Force Academy
Admissions Office
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80840-5651
Phone: (719) 472-2520

West Point Military Academy
Admissions Office Building
606 Thayer Road
West Point, NY 10996-1797
Phone: (914) 938-4041

Naval Academy
USNA Admissions Office
117 Decatur Road
Annapolis, MD 21402-5019
Phone: (410) 293-4361

Merchant Marine Academy
Admissions Office
Kings Point, NY 11024-1699
Phone: (516) 773-5391

Coast Guard Academy
Admissions Office
31 Mohegan Avenue
New London, CT 06320
Phone: (800) 833-8724

Important Dates for Admissions to the U.S. Service Academies

During your Junior Year

  • December - January: All candidates should inquire or sign up for a Summer Seminar at their desired academy / academies. 
  • February - March: Schedule SAT and/or ACT standardized Tests for the month of May and/or June. 
  • April - May: Contact the Service Academy’s admissions office for application information. You may apply to and be nominated to more than one academy. 
  • June / October: Take the SAT/ACT again. The academies consider your highest scores, it is advantageous for you to take the test several times 
  • July - August: Schedule medical exam with the Department of Defense Medical Exam Review Board (DoDMERB). After preliminary screening, you will receive information about scheduling your appointment with DoDMERB. Please schedule your appointment early because many students will require medical waivers which can take several months to complete. All candidates must be found medically qualified before offered admittance to the academies. 

During your Senior Year

  • September - October: Take the Candidate Fitness Assessment. The more you prepare for this test the better you will do. You will receive instructions from the academy for completing this test. 
  • November: Complete and submit nomination applications to all nomination sources. Please note that the application due dates vary from office to office and from year to year.  
  • December: Our office will contact you regarding your application status or request interviews. 
  • January: Congressman Blumenauer will make nomination decisions public. Nominees should continue to update your candidate files with the academies after you receive your congressional nomination. You are competing against the best and brightest in the country – make yourself stand out! 
  • March - May: The academies will offer the majority of appointments to candidates from March to May. You will receive a letter directly from the academies notifying you of your offer of appointment.