High school students from all over Richland County had the opportunity to attend a Service Academy Seminar at North Central State College on Wednesday, April 9. The seminar was hosted by representatives from the offices of U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman, and the offices of U.S. Representatives Bob Gibbs and Pat Tiberi, and was provided for high school students seeking a nomination to one of the U.S. Military Service Academies for 2015 admission.
“Each spring starts with seminars. This is our opportunity to tell you about the process face-to-face and try to mitigate the myriad of questions that are bound to come about,” said Lucas Crumley, district representative for the office of Congressman Pat Tiberi.
Each year, Ohio politicians nominate up to 10 students for the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. A committee of active and retired military and community leaders reviews student applicants, and selected students are provided with the required congressional recommendation upon applying for admission.
At Wednesday’s seminar, students were led through the entire process of applying for a recommendation, from making sure to spell their politician’s name correctly to reviewing possible questions asked by the selection committee. Students were strongly encouraged to apply to their senators and their congressional representatives for a recommendation.
“Not every member of congress and not every senator uses every single one of their nominations, but central Ohio and Ohio in general is not like that, we are greedy,” explained Crumley. “We want to fill every slot the academy has that we can with someone from Ohio. Why? Because we know the people from Ohio; we know the character that comes from parents and the communities that help raise you. We trust you to lead for the next 20 or 30 years.”
In addition to learning everything there is to know about the application process, students had the opportunity to hear from two Service Academy alumni about their experience in the academy.
One of those representatives was Jim Childress, an attorney practicing in Mansfield and a retired commander with the Navy. Childress graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1977 before serving in a submarine and eventually going to law school after leaving active duty.
“Being a lawyer and a constitutional scholar, I can tell you there’s only one service that is mandated by the constitution: Congress shall establish and maintain a Navy,” said Childress in his pitch for the Naval Academy. “The only thing the other academies can offer you that we can’t offer you is the Air Force.”
Students also heard from retired Colonel Dan Clark, a 1962 graduate from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Clark said any one of the service academies would be great to go to, but stated the foundation for his entire life was formed at West Point.
“Duty, honor, country, the honor code and the honor system, everything that I did carried me through my military career and second career and where I am today,” said Clark, who spent 26 years in the military. “Everything I’ve done since my graduation, I fall back to the foundation that was formed at West Point. You form associations and relationships that last you your entire life.”
Even among the positive assertions about attending the academies, both Clark and Childress emphasized this is not a commitment to take lightly.
“We’re going to give you a great education, not only is it free but we’re paying you, and if you keep your nose clean and get the degree we’re guaranteeing you a job when you get out. So what’s the catch? The catch of course is five years of commitment to your country,” said Childress. “You don’t have to only be willing to kill for your country; you have to be willing to die for your country.”
“It has to be your choice,” added Clark. “You have to want to do this. If you don’t, you won’t get through it.”
Brown and Portman’s offices will co-host 10 United States Service Academy Seminars throughout the state for students who are interested in learning about the application processes. The remaining seminar schedules can be found here. Participants are asked to RSVP if you are planning to attend a seminar.
“Everything I’ve done since my graduation, I fall back to the foundation that was formed at West Point. You form associations and relationships that last you your entire life,” said retired Col. Dan Clark.
