Naval Nominee Named
WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 – A few years back, Jonathan from Lynn desperately wanted to go to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, so he applied to be nominated by Rep. John F. Tierney (D-Mass.).
Tierney recalled that Jonathan, whose last name he does not remember, was big and strong and had excelled in high school football. He was also a member of his high school ROTC.
Tierney nominated Jonathan and Annapolis did give him an appointment. After a few days at the demanding academy, where for the first time he faced students with more brawn and strength than he had, Tierney said Jonathan told him, “Wow! This is hard!”
Jonathan was not alone in his sharp awakening to the rigorous demands of U.S. Service Academies. Army First Lt. Grant Rowland, from Lynnfield, participated in the nomination process and graduated from West Point in 2001.
“The first few months at West Point were the most challenging months,” Rowland said before pausing, sighing and completing his sentence, “I’ve ever had.”
“You can’t really expect what you’re going into,” he added. “People tell you and you read about it. But you can never really understand it. It’s an experience unto itself.”
Although the first year is very tough, Tierney said he can tell the students learn to like the hard work. “Keep your sense of humor and don’t take yourself too seriously is all I can say,” said Rowland.
Throughout the sixth district applicants nominated to U.S. Service Academies by Tierney and his nominating committees have an outstanding record of appointments, Tierney said in an interview Thursday. In West Point alone, 4000 applicants are nominated by their Congressmen, Senators, or the Vice President. Out of that pool of 4000, 37.5% receive offers and 30% accept.
“I am proud that we have managed to spread this success around the district so every school in every corner of the district has the opportunity to participate,” said Tierney about the diverse applicant pool from Newburyport to Lynn.
There has, however, been a decline in candidates since the war in Iraq, Tierney noted. He had no comment as to why there has been a decline but said his committee has continued to reach out to communities.
Although Tierney voted against the use of force in Iraq in 2002, he said he has no problem appointing students to the military as he believes the country needs a military full of strong, able people.
However, he said he hoped that in the future the president and congress will make the “right decision” and only go to war when the danger is imminent and threatening.
Rowland, who served in Iraq from April to August of 2003, said of the decline, “I can understand why there would be a decline but having been over there I don’t think there is any need to be worried about it because you don’t know where you’re going to be in four years when you graduate anyway.”
Maj. William Smith, the executive officer of admissions at West Point, agreed that the numbers have declined since the war in Iraq, although they are still higher than before the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
“Since the 9/11 attacks the number of applicants have very much increased,” said Smith. “Young people were taken up with patriotism and the feeling that it was their responsibility to do something. That rate has declined somewhat since then but is still higher than it was three years ago.”
To be eligible to attend one of the four service academies students must be U.S. citizens between 17 and 22 with no child support obligations. Among those who can nominate are members of Congress like Tierney.
Tierney’s office will send an application to anyone who requests one. Candidates must return the application by Nov. 1, along with three letters of recommendation and a photo for the academy. In addition, applicants should have outstanding participation and performance in both athletic and non-athletic activities, and must be in the top 40 percent of their class. SAT scores should be at least a 550 verbal and 540 math, or a 24 English, 25 Math, 22 Reading, 25 Science Reasoning on the ACT.
A panel of 15 volunteers, most with military experience, reviews the applications and conducts interviews with the applicants. After some deliberation, the committee determines a list of candidates. From that list, Tierney said he nominates up to 10 applicants for each of the four academies and submits the resulting lists to the academies for the final appointments.
“Really try to represent yourself as thoroughly and honestly as possible on the application,” advised Rowland, who served in Iraq from April 2003 through August 2003.
He also said that candidates should “use the application to set yourself apart from other candidates.” Leadership roles in athletics, student council and other extra-curricular activities are ways to stand out from other applicants, said Rowland.
“We have a great record,” said Tierney. “We land four appointments without fail.” In most instances the academies often come back to the sixth district for more qualified candidates, said Tierney. The district fills quite a few spots, said Tierney who gave some credit to the committee for the great job it does in selecting the candidates. Tierney said he believes the academy respects the work he and his committee do and the hard working applicants they nominate. “We’re proud of that,” he said.
For those applicants who do not receive a nomination, Tierney said there are other options. Every year Tierney schedules Academy Night throughout the district. In addition to inviting representatives from the four academies, representatives from Mass Maritime, Maine Maritime, military prep schools, the ROTC and officer candidate schools are invited, said Tierney.
“We try to show them other options,” said Tierney, citing the possibility of going to a military prep school to strengthen a candidate’s application.
Rowland said he met a lot of classmates who initially were not appointed but, instead, attended West Point Prep School. Several students were appointed by West Point after attending the prep school, according to Rowland.
“As long as there is a real desire to go to West Point and the students are applying for themselves and not for the community, family members or friends,” said Rowland, “eventually they should get appointed.”
