Military Academies - History and Application Process

Growing up, I always heard crazy stories from when my dad attended the Air Force Academy. It seemed as if his time there was both character-defining and a high point in his life, despite the terror antics of upperclassmen and rigid military lifestyle.

As many of us get ready for college (even though it seems like years away), the military academies may seem like an appealing option for a career to serve our country and carry on the legacy our family members set for us. Personally, I feel much honor and pride in what my father did and still does, and I hope to eventually work for the government, potentially attending a military academy. 

However, the academies are not like normal schools, and neither is their application process.

There are five federal service academies: the Military Academy/West Point (Army), the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, the Coast Guard Academy, and the Merchant Marine Academy.

1. West Point was the first military academy, established in 1802 by President Thomas Jefferson in New York. From its founding, West Point has established and maintained a reputation of academic and military excellence, producing some of America’s greatest generals including Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, and Dwight D. Eisenhower.

   
   

2. The Naval Academy, located in Annapolis, Maryland, was founded in 1842 in response to the lack of capable naval officers and midshipmen, eventually creating a strong force to support both the U.S. Navy and the growing need of a strong naval presence in the world.

   
   

3. The Air Force Academy (Go Falcons!) is the only school west of the Mississippi, and it settled in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Established in 1954, it was the very last academy to be created in order to support the U.S. Air Force and specifically train Airmen for the military aviation missions.

   
   

4. The Coast Guard Academy was officially formed in 1876 after a consolidation of many agencies that protected U.S. waters, and is situated in New London, Connecticut.

   
   

5. Finally, the Merchant Marine Academy was established in 1943 in Kingsport, New York, to serve the Merchant Marine Corps and US Armed Forces.

Overall, each academy focuses on preparing strong minds and bodies to serve the United States. They teach all cadets about mental sharpness, physical fitness, and moral strength. As many military brats look up to their parents and guardians, some of us may aspire to follow their path, whether by enlisting or commissioning (becoming an officer). One way to do the latter is by applying and attending a military academy. As I have progressed on my journey in applying to two such academies, here are some things I’ve discovered:

• There are no application fees or tuition costs (a really nice perk!).

  
  

• Upon graduation, you must serve your chosen branch for five years.

  
  

• One additional element to an academy application is the congressional nomination. Every applicant must have a nomination from a Congressman, the Vice-President, or President in order to be accepted on top of the regular application.

  
  

• Another additional element is a fitness test, specifically the Candidate Fitness Assessment (CFA). This has a major sway on the competitiveness of a candidate's application. Each of the academies have a big stress on physical strength and sports done in high school. For example, 90% of the Naval Academy’s rising class were on a high school varsity sport team. Making sure you have good scores on each section (basketball throw, pull-ups, shuttle run, crunches, push-ups, mile run) of the physical examination is important, so training is crucial to having a competitive application. The person administering the test must be a coach, P.E. teacher, or military active-duty personnel.

  
  

• If you do not participate in sports, do not stress, especially if you have other components of your resume outside of athletics that are impressive (including music, clubs, or jobs/non-profits/organizations).

  
  

• Finally, each academy has an interview with an officer or worker in the admissions office. They will most likely ask personal questions, as well as inquiries regarding why you would like to attend the academy and serve in the military. Knowing this, having a good idea of what you want to do in the future will help have a good impression on the officer. 

  
  

I was surprised at how much additional work was required to apply. Preparing my application has been a lot of work but also rewarding as counselors, officers, and my parents have helped me along the way.

There is a lot that goes into a college application and even more into a military academy, and understandably so - these academies mold citizens into brilliant fighters who serve and protect the country we live in! It is through these schools that we have the amazing soldiers each one of us are proud of. I hope that one day I can follow my parent’s footsteps as I hope to serve my country in the future and maybe see one of you there!