Congressman Bentz Explains the Military Service Academy Nomination Process

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Because of the importance and value of our Military Service Academies and the educational opportunity they offer, Congressman Cliff Bentz (OR-02) wishes to share the annual process of nominating Oregon students for attendance at these academies.

Said Congressman Bentz: "Our Military Academies (U.S. Military Academy in West Point, NY; the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD; the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY) are essential to the success of our future military efforts and activities. Additionally, they provide qualified men and women with an extraordinarily valuable education. The process of being selected for this prestigious and important future is straightforward but not well understood. The purpose of this press release is to shed some light on the actions a person interested in a military education must take if they wish to attend an academy.”

The first step in this process is to contact the academy (or academies) of choice to request a pre-candidate questionnaire to verify eligibility. To be eligible, an applicant must be a U.S. citizen; a legal resident of Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District; at least 17 but not more than 23 years of age on July 1, 2027; single; and have no dependents. 

After completing the questionnaire, the individual should seek to obtain a nomination from Congressman Bentz.

The nomination application form can be found on the Congressman’s website at this link. This application will be received by Congressman Bentz’s Selection Board, a group composed of retired and active-duty military officers from the district.

The Selection Board will then arrange an interview with each student who is seeking a nomination from the Congressman. Our nation's service academies recommend this approach to ensure transparency and fairness in congressional nominations. After conducting interviews, the Selection Board submits its recommendations to the Congressman for review and approval.

After receiving a Congressional Nomination, the academy chosen by the nominee will make a final application decision in February. If selected, the nominee will receive an offer of admission directly from the academy. 

For more information, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions page on the Congressman's website regarding Military Academy Nominations or contact the Medford District office.

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