WASHINGTON – Senator Chuck Grassley has nominated 39 outstanding Iowa students for consideration for appointments to the United States service academies.
“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,” Grassley said.
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. “It’s a tremendous opportunity for young people,” he said. “The academies offer some of the best options for higher education, and they offer an outstanding way to serve our country.”
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.
Grassley said he will make announcements as appointments to the academies are offered to Iowans.
The lists below include the names, high schools and hometowns of Grassley’s nominees for the 2013-2014 school year.
U.S. Air Force Academy
Nathan Dunning, St. Albert High School, Council Bluffs
Dustin Fuller, Sioux City North High School, Sioux City
Christopher Haijsman, Treynor High School, McClelland
Nicholas Heth, Cedar Falls High School, Cedar Falls
David Mohler, Home School, West Des Moines
Taylor Pluim, East High School, Sioux City
Jacob Romitti, Cienega High School, Madrid
Connor Watson, Columbus High School, Waterloo
Cody Winkler, Keokuk Senior High School, Keokuk
Samuel Wolf, Camanche High School, Clinton
West Point Military Academy
Adam Bradley, Wahlert Catholic High School, Dubuque
Zachary Britton, Ogden High School, Boone
Olivia Fairfield, Iowa City West High School, Coralville
Dillon Hansen, Ballard High School, Cambridge
William Krone, Johnston High School, Johnston
Edmund “Patrick” Mullin, Xavier High School, Cedar Rapids
Jose Olivo, Griswold High School, Griswold
Wilson Pingrey, Coon Rapids-Bayard Jr.-Sr. High School, Coon Rapids
Brett Morales, West High School, Davenport
Brendan Stephany, St. Albert High School, Council Bluffs
U.S. Naval Academy
Orion Boylston, Ames High School, Ames
Keaton Carter, Southeast Polk Senior High School, Altoona
Bernard Forney, Home School, Ames
Kelsey Hofmann, Adel-DeSoto-Minburn High School, Adel
Seth Horsley, Carroll High School, Carroll
Matthew Lee, City High School, Iowa City
Jackson Peplow, West High School, Iowa City
Ryan Ramsay, Theodore Roosevelt High School, Des Moines
Amanda Weyer, Prairie High School, Swisher
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
Brandon Aldred, Indianola High School, Indianola
Samuel Arends, Valley High School, West Des Moines
Creighton Claussen, North Scott High School, Long Grove
Madison Davis, Dubuque Senior High School, Dubuque
Michael Etnyre, Pella Community High School, Pella
William Krone, Johnston High School, Johnston
Lawrence Krugler, Adel-DeSoto-Minburn High School, Adel
Samuel Kuznetsov, Bettendorf High School, Bettendorf
Michael Miller, Home School/Cardinal High School, Fairfield
Matthew Veach, Hinton High School, Hinton