SERVICE ACADEMY NOMINATIONS 

One of the privileges of serving in the United States House of Representatives is the opportunity to nominate outstanding young people from the 26th Congressional District to be considered for appointment to our nation’s service academies. Admission to a service academy is a two-tiered process. First, the candidate must meet the minimum admission standards set by the individual academy. These standards include, among others, medical, physical and scholastic qualifications. The second tier is obtaining a nomination from an official source. An individual must meet the admission requirements of the academy, as well as, receive a nomination in order to be considered for appointment to the academies. It is best to apply for nominations at least one year prior to the desired date of entry. The nomination and admission process is fully explained in each academy's catalog and web page, as well as, in my nomination application packet.

Acceptance to a service academy requires a nomination from an official source: one of the applicant’s U.S. Senators, his/her U.S. Representative, or the Vice President of the United States. Children of career and/or retired military personnel may also seek a nomination through the Office of the President of the United States. Applicants should pursue all of these avenues to increase their chances of securing a nomination. Beginning in April of an applicant's junior year in high school, the student may request in writing a nomination application packet from my District Office.

Service Academy Applicants must be:

• U.S. Citizens
• Legal Residents of the 26th Congressional District of Texas
• At least 17 years of age, but not yet 23 years of age by July 1 of the year of admission (or not yet 25 years of age by July 1 of the year of admission to U.S. Merchant Marine Academy)
• Unmarried with no dependents
• By law, graduates of the service academies are appointed to active duty as commissioned officers and serve in the appropriate branch of the military for a minimum of five years.

Please be sure to contact the service academy of your preference directly to establish a pre-candidate file. Candidates are evaluated for admission on the basis of academic performance (high school record and SAT or ACT scores), demonstrated leadership potential, physical aptitude, and medical qualification. Each service academy will be able to answer specific questions and schedule individual medical examinations. Due to the rigorous physical program at the academies, all candidates must meet their specific medical and physical requirements. (Such examinations are separate from my nomination process and are required prior to receiving an appointment to a service academy.) Ultimate selection of appointees rests solely with academy officials and is based on their competitive evaluation of all nominees.

For more information regarding the congressional nomination process and timeline, please contact:

Robin Vaughan, Deputy District Director

Office of Congressman Michael C. Burgess

2000 S. Stemmons Freeway, Suite 200

Lake Dallas, TX  75065

Phone: (940) 497-5031

Email: robin.vaughan@mail.house.gov

Note: The nomination cycle for the Class of 2029 (entering the service academies in Summer 2025) opens April 1, 2024, and nomination packets may be requested by sending an email to robin.vaughan@mail.house.gov.  Please provide your name, home physical address (& mailing address, if different), home & cell phone numbers, email address, school and graduation date. The submission deadline is September 16, 2024.

To obtain catalogs and other specific information on the academies, contact them directly:

	U.S. Military Academy (Army) Admissions Office 606 Thayer Road West Point, New York 10996-1797 (845) 938-5726 www.usma.edu
	U.S. Naval Academy USNA Admissions 117 Decatur Road Annapolis, Maryland 21402-5018 (800) 822-2769 www.usna.edu
	U.S. Air Force Academy Admissions Office Colorado Springs, Colorado 80840-565 (800) 443-9266 www.usafa.edu
	U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Admissions Office Kings Point, New York 11024-1699 (800) 732-6267 www.usmma.edu
	For admission to the United States Coast Guard Academy (USCGA), congressional nominations are no longer required or submitted. Therefore, if you are interested in attending the USCGA, contact them directly: U.S. Coast Guard Academy Admissions Office New London, CT 06320-4195 (203) 444-8501 www.uscga.edu