Senator Chuck Grassley has nominated 39 outstanding Iowa students for consideration for appointments to the United States service academies. Grassley said Friday “The young Iowans who want to serve our country and enter the academies are remarkable for their accomplishments and leadership.  These candidates are an impressive reflection on our state and signal continued excellence in the United States armed forces.”

In southwest Iowa, nominees for the 2013-2014 school year include the following:

U.S. Air Force Academy
Nathan Dunning, of Council Bluffs, a student at St. Albert High School, and Christopher Haijsman of McClelland, a student at the Treynor High School.

West Point Military Academy
Jose Olivo, of Griswold, a student at the Griswold High School, Wilson Pingrey, of Coon Rapids, who attends the Coon Rapids-Bayard Jr.-Sr. High School, and Brendan Stephany, of Council Bluffs, who attends Council Bluffs/St. Albert High School.

U.S. Naval Academy

Kelsey Hofmann of Adel, who attends the Adel-DeSoto-Minburn High School, and Seth Horsley of Carroll, a student at the Carroll High School

Grassley has the opportunity each year as a United States senator to nominate either current or future Iowa high school graduates for a select few service academy placements.  The Air Force, West Point Military, and Naval academies all select at least one qualified student from Grassley’s nominations.  The Merchant Marine Academy makes selections in proportion to states’ representation in Congress.

Grassley said he encourages Iowa students to consider applying to more than one service academy due to the highly competitive nature of admissions.  Students interested in academy appointments should begin the application process in the spring of the junior year of high school.

Senator Tom Harkin and Iowa Representatives in the United States House of Representatives also make nominations.  The academies subsequently select students based on the number of vacancies available for the next school year.  Traditionally, the high quality of Iowa nominees results in several Iowa students being selected to attend each of the service academies.