On Friday night in his Washington, D.C. office, Congressman Nick Begich III was still hard at work, even though the House is in recess.
It was 10 p.m. Eastern Time and Begich was calling all of the young Alaskans whom he had nominated to military academies.
These nominees had applied last year for the prestigious academies like West Point, but their applications had been left incomplete by former Rep. Mary Peltola, who lost her seat to Begich in November.
Begich, in office for just three weeks, didn’t want these exceptional Alaskans to wait another minute. He pored over all the applications to United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md; United States Military Academy, West Point, NY; United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY; and United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
The task was to nominate those applicants who meet the rigorous academic and physical requirements of each academy. The students must complete online applications and be nominated by at least one member of Congress. Both Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Sen. Dan Sullivan make nominations annually as well.
Receiving a nomination from a congressional member is the first step in the process of attending a service academy, but doesn’t guarantee admission. That’s up to the academies themselves, although all three members of Congress are guaranteed at least one appointment.
Begich called 46 young Alaskans high school seniors (and military members looking to transfer into the academies) on Friday night to let them know they had received his nomination.
Begich knows how transformational an academy nomination can be. In 1995, he was nominated to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, and was also appointed.
Thank you Rep. Begich. I knew and was mentored in AK politics by your grandfather at a formative time of my life.
This would also have been his priority.🏆
Amazing difference two and a half months make. Thank you. Mary had the opportunity of a life time to serve the Alaskan people. She chose to serve the Washington DC democrats instead. She was a huge mistake, like lisa murkowski.