Military Academy Nominations
Instructions
The deadline to submit applications is October 23, 2026.
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. 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.
Congressman Panetta may nominate up to 15 individuals for each vacant academy slot allotted to our district. To request a Military Academy Nomination from our office, please complete the form below and submit a printed copy to one of Rep. Panetta's four district offices.
Please Note: The following items must be physically delivered to one of our offices for a nomination application to be considered complete.
- Current photo
- Official high school transcript (in a sealed official envelope; or, may be submitted digitally upon request)
- Copy of SAT and/or ACT score report, subject to verification through official SAT and/or ACT score report (submitted directly from test administrator)
- Resume of extracurricular activities
- Essay stating why you want to attend a service academy (500 words of less)
- Minimum of three letters of recommendation
- Website form available below
Best wishes to you as you pursue your goal of attending one of the U.S. Service Academies and serving our country.