Earlier this year, I announced that the application process for our nation’s service academies had started. As it gets closer to the deadline, I want to remind students interested in serving our nation through the academies to apply.

For years, the United States Service Academies have offered students a priceless military experience, the opportunity to serve our country, and a first-class education. Each academy offers a free college education at a highly-ranked, nationally-recognized institution, while preparing them for an officer’s commission in one of the four branches of the Armed Forces.

The branches that require Congressional nomination are the Air Force Academy, the Merchant Marine Academy, the Military Academy at West Point and the Naval Academy. The fifth service academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, doesn’t require a Congressional nomination.

In order for students to obtain a nomination, they must be a U.S. citizen at the time they enter the academy. They must also be between the ages of 17 and 23, unmarried with no legal obligation to support a child or dependent, and a legal resident of the Third Congressional District of Oklahoma. The deadline for accepting applications is October 15, 2013, and personal interviews will be held in November. I look forward to announcing the nominees at the end of this year.

If you have questions about the application process or are interested in applying, please contact Allison Litterell in my district office at (405) 373-1958, or visit my web site at /service-academy-nominations.

In addition to providing nominations to service academies, as your representative, I also provide many other services to my constituents. I can assist you in dealings with federal agencies, help you plan tours during visits to Washington D.C., assist you with federal grants, and provide many other valuable resources.  For more information on the constituent services my office provides, please visit my website at /agencies.

–30–