Military Academy Nominations

Instructions

The honor of attending a service academy comes with the obligation and commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation. The deadline for the 2025 nomination period is January 1, 2026. For more information, please review the page of Frequently Asked Questions for those seeking a Military Academy Nomination.

Members of Congress may nominate candidates for appointment to four of the five U.S. service academies: U.S. Military Academy (USMA), West Point, NY; the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), Annapolis, MD; the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), Colorado Springs, CO; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), Kings Point, NY. The fifth service academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA), New London, CT, does not require a congressional nomination for appointment.

Representative Bell may nominate up to ten individuals for each vacant academy slot allotted to our district. To request a Military Academy Nomination from our office, please complete the form below. Best wishes to you as you pursue your goal of attending one of the U.S. Service Academies and serving our country.

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Your Information

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First Name:

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Your Contact Information

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Education Information

Name of High School:

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Academy Information

Number your preference (1 to 4) of academies -- with 1 being your highest preference.

U.S. Air Force Academy:

U.S. Merchant Marine Academy:

U.S. Military Academy (West Point):

U.S. Naval Academy:

An appointment to the Service Academies is based on a desire by the candidate to devote a lifetime of military service and implies recognition by the appointee of an obligation to the government to devote himself / herself to a military career.

Are you interested in an appointment on that basis?

Yes

Additional Information

Employment History

Extracurricular Activities

In what ways have you prepared yourself to study at a service academy?

When did you decide you wanted to attend an academy, and how was that interest generated?

What do you consider the most significant difference between a service academy and a traditional civilian school of higher education?

USAFA and USMA each have an honor code, and USNA and USMMA each have an honor concept. Write out BOTH the honor code (either USMA’s or USAFA’s) AND the honor concept, explain the difference, and expand on why honor is important not only while at an academy but throughout a military career.

Define today’s most pressing foreign affairs issue and explain how it will affect the military service you will join upon graduation.

Name of hometown newspaper:

Is it okay to use your name in a press release after receiving an appointment?

Yes

As part of your application for a nomination to a United States Service Academy through the Office of Congressman Wesley Bell, you are required to provide academic and/or professional references.

Please ask your references to submit their letters of recommendation directly to our office by emailing them to BellServiceAcademy@mail.house.gov

References should include your full name in the subject line of their email. Letters should address your character, academic ability, leadership potential, and any other qualities that would contribute to your success at a U.S. Service Academy.

It is your responsibility to ensure that all recommendation letters are submitted by the deadline.