I'm following in Kurtuleas ' lead and wanted to start a thread about my daughters adventures heading into a service academy.
First off, I have to say that I'm extremely proud of the work she's done since late October. We were getting ready to start planning for college, and figuring out where she should apply, etc. Of course we've had heart to hearts over the years about my time in the Navy, her uncles time in the Air Force and her grandpa's time in the Army. We were all enlisted and had decent one term careers, then got out and pursued other avenues in life. I am currently a contractor working for the Air Force.
In my inbox in mid October I received an email for an open forum for Jr's and Seniors in high school to attend a session on applying for service academies through a local congressman. You have to receive a congressional nomination in order to apply for West Point, Annapolis, the Air Force Academy, and the US Merchant Marine Academy. The only one that does not require a nomination is the Coast Guard academy.
After attending the session, she was all set, and had decided that she was going to get into one of these academies. Coast Guard, followed by Air Force and US Merchant Marines. No matter what. She was going to do whatever it takes. Mind you, this is an extremely selective process, that thousands of students apply for, have to fight through a nomination process where only a handful are selected by congressmen within their districts, then have to apply to the academies, pass physical fitness regimens and PT tests (individual to each academy) and then hope they are selected for the class of a couple hundred for each school starting that summer.
We were waaaayyyyy behind the curve ball. Most of these kids have been prepping since sophomore year. So she got up, and started training every day. Her grades are fantastic (4.21 avg, class Valedictorian) but not a shoe in. I have had to run her all over trying to get physicals scheduled, hearing tests, vision tests, dental visits, etc. Most of them a few hours away due to only certain places offering them. 6 months of scrambling to get everything done and in by the deadline. We got everything in by March. Phew. Sigh of relief. But then it's the wait that kills you. You just don't know.
A couple weeks ago we got confirmation she was accepted and appointed to the Coast Guard wait list. Shit. She was devastated. She didn't make the first round. She missed the deadline for Air Force applications because she wasn't paying attention to the turn in date. Shit...... out of the running for that one.
Two days ago she got the confirmation from the Merchant Marines that everything passed and she has been accepted, all she has to do is accept the nomination and attend. I got the most excited call I've ever heard from her and my wife at school that day. She made it.
She's waiting to accept the nomination, as she's holding out hope that she can still make the Coast guard (cut offs for wait list are the 15th of may). But regardless, she's excited as hell to Start her own adventure. So we'll know for sure next week which way she's headed. Either New York, or Connecticut.
Anyway, I'm a super proud dad, and excited for her. Also a little choked up because I'm gonna miss my bright, beautiful and humorous little kiddo.
I'll keep the thread updated from time to time, and a couple years from now, I'll apparently have to salute my daughter, since I'll have an officer in the family.
First off, I have to say that I'm extremely proud of the work she's done since late October. We were getting ready to start planning for college, and figuring out where she should apply, etc. Of course we've had heart to hearts over the years about my time in the Navy, her uncles time in the Air Force and her grandpa's time in the Army. We were all enlisted and had decent one term careers, then got out and pursued other avenues in life. I am currently a contractor working for the Air Force.
In my inbox in mid October I received an email for an open forum for Jr's and Seniors in high school to attend a session on applying for service academies through a local congressman. You have to receive a congressional nomination in order to apply for West Point, Annapolis, the Air Force Academy, and the US Merchant Marine Academy. The only one that does not require a nomination is the Coast Guard academy.
After attending the session, she was all set, and had decided that she was going to get into one of these academies. Coast Guard, followed by Air Force and US Merchant Marines. No matter what. She was going to do whatever it takes. Mind you, this is an extremely selective process, that thousands of students apply for, have to fight through a nomination process where only a handful are selected by congressmen within their districts, then have to apply to the academies, pass physical fitness regimens and PT tests (individual to each academy) and then hope they are selected for the class of a couple hundred for each school starting that summer.
We were waaaayyyyy behind the curve ball. Most of these kids have been prepping since sophomore year. So she got up, and started training every day. Her grades are fantastic (4.21 avg, class Valedictorian) but not a shoe in. I have had to run her all over trying to get physicals scheduled, hearing tests, vision tests, dental visits, etc. Most of them a few hours away due to only certain places offering them. 6 months of scrambling to get everything done and in by the deadline. We got everything in by March. Phew. Sigh of relief. But then it's the wait that kills you. You just don't know.
A couple weeks ago we got confirmation she was accepted and appointed to the Coast Guard wait list. Shit. She was devastated. She didn't make the first round. She missed the deadline for Air Force applications because she wasn't paying attention to the turn in date. Shit...... out of the running for that one.
Two days ago she got the confirmation from the Merchant Marines that everything passed and she has been accepted, all she has to do is accept the nomination and attend. I got the most excited call I've ever heard from her and my wife at school that day. She made it.
She's waiting to accept the nomination, as she's holding out hope that she can still make the Coast guard (cut offs for wait list are the 15th of may). But regardless, she's excited as hell to Start her own adventure. So we'll know for sure next week which way she's headed. Either New York, or Connecticut.
Anyway, I'm a super proud dad, and excited for her. Also a little choked up because I'm gonna miss my bright, beautiful and humorous little kiddo.
I'll keep the thread updated from time to time, and a couple years from now, I'll apparently have to salute my daughter, since I'll have an officer in the family.
