Title 32

SECTION 575.3

575.3 Appointments; sources of nominations.

§ 575.3 Appointments; sources of nominations.

Admission to the Military Academy is gained by appointment to one of the cadetships authorized by law. Graduation of the senior class normally leaves about 915 vacancies each year. Candidates are nominated to qualify for these vacancies the year prior to admission. Those nominees appointed enter the Academy the following July and upon graduation are obligated to serve in the Army for a period of not less than 5 years. There are two major categories of nomination (Congressional/Gubernatorial and Service-Connected) and two minor categories (Filipino and Foreign Cadets). Cadetships authorized at the Military Academy are allocated among various sources of nominations from the major categories as follows:

(a) Congressional / Gubernatorial Nomination. (1) Up to 10 nominations may be submitted for each vacancy. Nominating authorities may use one of three methods of nomination:

(i) Name 10 nominees on a totally competitive basis,

(ii) Name a principal nominee, with nine competing alternates, or

(iii) Name a principal nominee, with nine alternates in order of preference.

(2) The priority that a fully qualified candidate may receive when considered for appointment is actually governed by the method of nomination used. For example, a principal nominee who is found minimally qualified must be offered an appointment. Conversely, the same individual nominated on a totally competitive basis, may be ranked as one of the least qualified nominees for that vacancy and, consequently, may not be offered an appointment. Many nominating authorities hold preliminary competitive nomination examinations to select their nominees. Those selected are required to be actual residents of the geographic location represented by the nominating authority.

(b) Service-connected nominations. There is no restriction on the residence of nominees who compete for an appointment under these quotas. All applications for a service-connected nomination must be submitted to the Superintendent, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY 10996, not later than 15 December for the class entering the following July. A description of the Service-Connected nomination categories follows:

(1) Presidential: Children of career military personnel in the Armed Forces who are on active duty, retired, or deceased, are nominated through this category. The term “career” includes members of the Reserve Components currently serving 8 or more years of continuous active duty and Reserve retirees receiving either retired or retainer pay. Children of reservists retired while not on active duty are ineligible. Applications should include the name, grade, social security number/service number, and branch of service of the parent as a member of such regular component, and the full name, address, and date of birth of the applicant (complete military address and social security number, if in the Armed Forces). Adopted children are eligible for appointment if they were adopted prior to their 15th birthday; a copy of the order of court decreeing adoption, duly certified by the clerk of the court, must accompany the application.

(2) Children of Deceased and Disabled Veterans: This category is for children of deceased or 100 percent disabled Armed Forces veterans whose deaths or disabilities were determined to be service-connected, and for children of military personnel or federally employed civilians who are in a missing or captured status. Candidates holding a nomination under this category are not eligible for nomination under the Presidential or Medal of Honor category. The Veterans Administration determines the eligibility of all applicants. The application should include the full name, date of birth, and address of the applicant (complete service address should be given if the applicant is in the Armed Forces), and the name, grade, social security number/service number, and last organization of the veteran parent, together with a brief statement concerning the time, place, and cause of death. The claim number assigned to the veteran parent's case by the Veterans Administration should also be furnished.

(3) Children of Persons Awarded the Medal of Honor: Applications from children of persons awarded the Medal of Honor should contain the applicant's full name, address, and date of birth (complete service address should be given if the applicant is in the Armed Forces); the name, grade, and branch of service of the parent; and a brief statement of the date and circumstances of the award. Candidates appointed from this source may qualify in the same manner as a congressional principal candidate. All who are found fully qualified will be admitted as cadets, regardless of the number.

(4) Honor Military Schools: Certain Honor Military Schools designated by Department of the Army, Department of the Navy, and Department of the Air Force are invited to recommend three candidates for nomination annually from among their honor graduates. Appointments are filled by selecting the best qualified candidates regardless of the school from which nominated. Application should be made through the school Senior Army Instructor.

(5) Army ROTC: This category is for members of college and high school Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps units. Application should be made through the Professor of Military Science or Senior Army Instructor at the school.

(6) Regular Army: This category is for enlisted members of the active Army. Appointments may be awarded to 85 Regular Army candidates. Application for admission, through command channels to the United States Military Academy Preparatory School (USMAPS) constitutes application for nomination under this category.

(7) Reserve Components: This category is for enlisted members of the Army Reserve and Army National Guard. Application for admission should be made through command channels to USMAPS. Enlisted members who are not on active duty should apply to the Commandant, United States Military Preparatory School, Fort Monmouth, New Jersey 07703.

(c) Filipino cadets. The Secretary of the Army may permit each entering class one Filipino, designated by the President of the Republic of the Philippines, to receive instruction at the United States Military Academy.

(d) Foreign cadets. The law permits 20 persons at a time from the Latin-American Republics and Canada to receive instruction at the United States Military Academy. A maximum of three persons from any one country may be cadets at the same time. Such persons receive the same pay and allowances (including mileage from their homes in proceeding to the Military Academy for initial admission) as cadets appointed from the United States. However, they are not entitled to appointment in the United States Armed Forces upon graduation. Citizens of other foreign countries have been permitted from time to time to attend the Military Academy upon specific authorization of the United States Congress in each case. Applications must be submitted to the United States Government through diplomatic channels by the governments concerned. Requirements for the admission, advancement, and graduation of foreign cadets are similar to those for United States Cadets.

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