All Academy Day

Each year thousands of the best and brightest young men and women seek appointment to one of the U.S. service academies -- undergraduate educational institutions for the training of officers for the United States Armed Forces.

There are five service academies: Air Force, Naval, Military, Merchant Marine, and Coast Guard. Serving in any of the U.S. Service Academies is both an honor and a tremendous privilege. Nominations are required for all but the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. Every year, I am proud to nominate the best and brightest young men and women Nebraska has to offer to our nation's service academies.

Admission to one of the United States military academies is a remarkable opportunity for qualified candidates to receive an outstanding education and to serve their country in a rewarding and honorable career. Students attending the service academies are on active duty from the day they enter their chosen academy.

Applicants must be legal Nebraska residents and United States citizens, at least 17 years of age, with no children or other legal dependents.

As part of the application process, students meet personally with my Academy Advisory Committee and are evaluated on academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, career motivation, personal traits, letters of recommendation, essays, and personal interviews. Nominations are based on recommendations made by my Academy Advisory Committee, which consists of former military personnel and civilians from the Third District.

Students who are interested in applying for one of the service academies are encouraged to contact any of my offices for more information or by sending an email to Academy.Smith@mail.house.gov. Though the deadline for applications to my office is September 30, 2009, the process can be lengthy and interested applicants are encouraged to begin their application early.

This is a highly competitive process, and a nomination to any of the academies is a tremendous achievement. If you or someone you know may be interested, I encourage you to attend an event I will be sponsoring for students of the Third District to learn about the different academies and the application process.

Interested students and their parents are invited to my All Academy Day seminar, which will be held on Saturday, April 18th in Kearney at the University of Nebraska-Kearney's Ockinga Auditorium. Doors will open at 12:30 p.m. Central and the forum will run until 4:30 p.m.

The All Academy Day will feature remarks from Senator Mike Johanns as well as presentations from the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, and U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

Registration is due by Friday, April 10. Interested high school students should contact their guidance counselors or RSVP by either calling my Scottsbluff office at (308) 633-6333 or e-mailing me at Academy.Smith@mail.house.gov.

Students applying for one of the military academies are offering more than their hard work and time -- they are making a promise to their families, friends, and neighbors.

Our military academies offer a great opportunity to serve our country and pursue an excellent education. The academies require high levels of leadership, commitment and dedication, and in return, a lifetime of rewards.