Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono

FACT SHEET

Thank you for contacting my office regarding nomination to the U.S. Service Academies.  This fact sheet will familiarize you with some of the procedure and requirements involved with the nomination process.  Please read carefully and retain for future reference.

ACADEMIES

Individuals may be nominated to the following service academies:

                        U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado  80840-5651

                        U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, New York 11024-1699                       

                        U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996-1797                       

                        U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland 21402-5019                       

Additional information can be obtained by writing to the admissions office of the respective academies at the above-named addresses.The U.S. Coast Guard Academy does not participate in the Congressional nominating system.  Interested individuals may write directly to the academy in care of:
Director of Admissions
U.S. Coast Guard Academy
New London, Connecticut 06320-4195

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

An individual must meet four (4) basic eligibility requirements, as of July 1 of the year he or she is admitted.

1. Be at least 17 but not yet 23 years old;
2. Be a U.S. citizen;
3. Not be married, pregnant, or have a legal obligation to support a child or children;
4. Be a child of parents or legal guardians who have bona fide legal residences in the Second Congressional District.  (The Office of the City Clerk of Honolulu (523-4352) can verify your district if you have any questions).

NOMINATING SYSTEM

Each U. S. Representative or Senator may have up to five appointed cadets in attendance at each of the three service academies (Air Force, Military and Naval) at any one time.  Consequently, the number of vacancies open to each Congressional member varies annually depending upon how many previously appointed cadets are still enrolled in an academy.  Ten candidates will be selected for nomination to compete for each vacancy.  If no vacancies are available, you may reapply in the following year or choose to file an application at another academy.  At the Merchant Marine Academy, ten nominees will be submitted to compete for the state quota of four.

The Competitive Nomination method is used.  With this method, Congresswoman Hirono submits an unranked slate of up to ten nominees for each vacancy.  Candidates are then ranked by the admissions officers in order to merit according to the specific academy system.  Therefore, the most highly qualified candidate is selected for an offer/appointment to fill the vacancy.

You are urged to apply to every nominating authority which your eligibility allows (i.e., Senators, your Congressperson, Presidential, Vice Presidential, Children of Deceased or Disabled Veterans, etc.)  A full listing of the various sources is available in the academies’ catalogs.

Congresswoman Hirono’s nominations will be made by January 31, whereby each applicant will be contacted.  The respective academies will notify you of the appointments.

APPOINTMENT

A nomination is not an appointment.  Only after the nominee meets the selected academy’s rigorous scholastic, physical and medical standards will the academy appoint that individual.

PRE-CANDIDATE FILE

Applicants are required to initiate a pre-candidate file with each academy they wish to attend as soon as an application for consideration of a nomination is filed with Congresswoman Hirono.

PROCEDURES

Each Congressional office has designed an application procedure to meet its own needs and standards.  Carefully study and follow the instructions of each office.

The following are required information for submittal to Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono by November 30.

1. APPLICATION FORM

The application form must be completed and returned promptly.  Formal candidacy is established in Congresswoman Hirono’s office upon receipt of the application form.  All other required information (items 2 through 6) may be submitted at a later date, but not past the deadline stated.

2. OFFICIAL HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT (INCLUDING GRADE POINT AVERAGE AND NUMERICAL CLASS RANK-PERCENTILES ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE) OR COLLEGE TRANSCRIPT.

12^th Graders:  Grades must include up until the last semester attended.

Post-Graduates:  Complete grades in high school and up until the last semester attended in college.

3. SCHOLASTIC APTITUDE TEST (SAT) OR AMERICAN COLLEGE TESTING (ACT) SCORES.

Applicants are strongly recommended to retake the exam to improve their scores, insofar as these tests are relied upon heavily to determine an applicant’s qualifications.  The highest scores will be counted.  You must request that the testing agency forward the SAT or ACT results to my Honolulu office.  You may request a copy of the results sent directly to me by using the code 4978 on your SAT application form or code 7367on your ACT application form.

4. TWO LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

One letter must be from your teacher, school principal or counselor.  The second letter can be from any person of your choice.  Each person should know you well enough to attest to your character, interests and activities, and your general reputation in the community.  Additional letters are not necessary.

5. ESSAY

One type-written page, double-spaced, describing your activities, interests and goals, and reasons for wanting to attend the academy.

6. PHOTO

A recent photo, such as your senior picture.

**IMPORTANT:  IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE THE AFOREMENTIONED INFORMATION AND TO ENSURE THE RECEIPT OF THESE DOCUMENTS BY THE DISTRICT OFFICE NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER 30.  CANDIDATES WHOSE FILES ARE INCOMPLETE AFTER THE DEADLINE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR A NOMINATION.

DEADLINE

All required documents must be received in Congresswoman Hirono’s District Office no later than November 30.  All correspondence regarding the service academies should be sent to the following address:

Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono
5-104 Prince Kuhio Federal Building
Honolulu, Hawaii  96850

Congresswoman’s staff will welcome any calls to our district office should you have any questions.  Our district office telephone on Oahu is 541-1986; Hawaii 935-3756; Kauai 245-1951; Maui 242-1981; Lanai 565-7199, and Molokai 552-0160.

2010 Academy Nominations: To see the list of students whom Congresswoman Hirono has nominated, click here.