Congresswoman Cheri Bustos is accepting applications from High School students, for nominations to the United States Service Academies, for the class entering in the fall of 2022. Each year, Congresswoman Bustos has the honor of nominating up-to-ten qualified young people from Illinois’s 17th Congressional District, for attendance at the U. S. Military Academy in West Point, NY; U. S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD; U. S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO; U. S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY.
“Our military academies provide students with the opportunity to receive an outstanding education while also serving our Nation,” the Congresswoman said. “I encourage all students interested in this opportunity to submit an application to my office, as soon as possible. Young leaders who answer the call to serve give me hope for the future of our Nation. I look forward to reviewing applications and nominating qualified Illinois students for this high honor.”
Interested students should visit Congresswoman Bustos’s website to learn about the process and download an application. The website features specific instructions on the accompanying forms and required documents, including an application form, an essay, high school transcript, ACT/SAT scores, and letters of recommendation. Since these materials take time to compile, interested students are encouraged to start obtaining the materials needed for the packet as soon as possible. The deadline for submitting a completed nomination packet to Congresswoman Bustos’s office is Friday, November 5, 2021.
Each applicant for a nomination must meet the following eligibility requirements as of July 1st of the year of admission to an academy:
- Age: be at least 17 years old, but not have passed the 23rd birthday
- Citizenship: must be a U. S. citizen
- Marital Status: must be unmarried, not pregnant, and without legal obligation to support children or other dependents
- Residence: must reside within the boundaries of the 17th Congressional District of Illinois
- Skill / Fitness: must meet the medical, physical, and academic requirements of the Academy.
For further information, answers to frequently asked questions, as well as an application packet, please visit https://bustos.house.gov/helping-you/military-academy-nominations-faq/. Contact Congresswoman Bustos’s Rock Island office at 309-786-3406 with questions about the application process.