Only the most elite applicants get into military academies.
Many military appointments, such as entrance into the U.S. Military Academy at West Point or the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, require a recommendation from a state representative or senator with the application. To receive a nomination, you must write to your representative early and tell them what you are applying for as well as formally request the nomination. Admissions to these academies are competitive so you will want to make a solid case for your candidacy to the representative so she can write you a good letter of nomination.
Instructions
1. Type your address, then skip a line and type the date. Skip another line space and type Honorable (First and last name), United States Senator, followed by his address at Congress. If your recipient is a representative, write The Honorable (first and last name), United States Representative followed by her address at Congress.
2. Create the salutation by typing Dear Senator/Representative (last name) followed by a colon.
3. Introduce yourself and explain that you are seeking a nomination for an appointment at the academy, and state the name of the academy. For example My name is Jennifer Perez and I am seeking appointment for the fall of 2012 at The United States Military Academy at West Point.
4. Explain your qualifications, such as your academic and athletic achievements, and explain why you believe that these achievements will benefit you as a cadet at the academy. Have a confident and matter-of-fact tone, but refrain from sounding arrogant because a superior attitude does not befit a soldier.
5. Discuss why you would like entrance into the academy. The representative or senator will want to know why you are pursuing this difficult path and what you hope to achieve in the future.
6. Thank the congressperson for her time, and provide your telephone and e-mail in case a member of her staff needs to get in touch with you.
7. Close the letter by typing Respectfully, and skip three line spaces before typing your name. Print the letter and sign above your typed name.
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