What do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?

Integrity. Honor. Respect. Do you want people to associate these qualities with you? Are you looking for a path that will set you apart from those who choose the traditional college experience? Do you want to understand and experience the fierce determination and pride reflected on the faces of the men and women who have been defending our freedom in the Middle East and all over the world?

Every year, as your elected officials, we have the honor of nominating deserving young women and men to attend the four United States service academies. As a way to help junior high and high school students learn more about the academies, we are inviting youth, parents, and school officials to meet with recruiters and congressional staff to learn more about the academies and the application process.

"Academy Day" will be held on September 20, 2003, in Idaho Falls, Boise, and Coeur d'Alene. Officials from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado; the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York; the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York; and, the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland; will be on hand to provide information about each service academy.

United States service academies are committed to developing each individual academically within the framework of a core value system. Duty, honor, integrity, excellence, leadership, and service guide the daily lives of students in challenging physical conditioning programs, the classroom, and dorm life. Opportunities to excel in music, sports, and a multitude of academic disciplines await those who are willing to make a serious commitment, and the rewards are lifelong.

The academies offer programs that will prepare students for the ever-changing world of science, technology, and management while providing the moral ethical training essential for successful and meaningful leadership. Students take classes in science, math, social science, and liberal arts. Participation in sports is required, and dorm life is structured to instill a sense of pride and a belief in one's ability to succeed in a challenging environment.

Cadets and midshipmen from Idaho will be available to speak with students, parents, and school officials. They are a tremendous resource, and can provide a personal glimpse into the life of a student at a service academy. Upon graduation, these officers will join the ranks of other great men and women including former Presidents, members of Congress,
Governors, Nobel Prize winners, astronauts, and Rhodes Scholars. Many other women and men have achieved success at the service academies and now serve our country in leadership roles in the armed forces, or in the civilian world of business, medicine, engineering, science, or law.

Admission to the service academies is based upon academic accomplishments, extra-curricular involvement, demonstrated leadership, and above all, a desire to serve our country. Interested students may apply after January of their junior and before October 31st of their senior year of high school by submitting the appropriate paperwork to their United States Congressmen, Senators, or Vice President Dick Cheney. Students are encouraged to apply to all four Idaho elected officials to increase their odds for acceptance.

Informed decision-making is a result of gathering all the facts. Please make a point of attending the Academy Day in your area on September 20. It may be your first step toward a rewarding career and a lifetime of opportunity and achievement.