California Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Corona) recently nominated exceptional local students for service academies and extended to his gratitude to all of their families, teachers and supporters.
“I want to congratulate the outstanding students who have been appointed to attend our service academies... Nominating extraordinary students from our region to attend the academies is one of the highest honors I’m afforded as a U.S. representative," Calvert said. "In addition to the students, I want to thank their families, friends, teachers and everyone who supported them."
Calvert expressed his admiration for the motivation these students have demonstrated early in their academic careers.
"Our volunteer military is shaped by selfless citizens stepping forward to serve, and I’m humbled by the leadership demonstrated by these students at such a young age,” he said following an Instagram post.
It is within the legal powers of U.S. legislators to nominate individuals for enrollment into four of the U.S. service academies: the Military Academy, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy and the Merchant Marine Academy, according to the EveryCRSReport. These establishments serve to educate and train young Americans for officer roles within the U.S. armed services. Following their academic journey, graduates from these academies commit to serve in the military or U.S. Merchant Marine, whether in active duty or reserve roles, for at least five years.
One of the advantages for each individual selected for Armed Service Academies is an education worth over $400,000, a press release on Calvert’s website said. The nomination process, overseen by Calvert, is highly competitive and managed through a dedicated Congressional Nominations Selection Committee that assesses each candidate before making recommendations.
For the 2023 Service Academy nomination cycle, only students from the former 42nd Congressional District were considered, due to the timing of the deadline in 2022. However, students from the newly established 41st Congressional District will have the opportunity to secure nominations for the 2024 Service Academy admission cycle.
A senior member elected to the house in 1992, Calvert represents southern California’s 41st U.S. Congressional District, his website biography said. In addition, he has worked for 17 years as an entrepreneur in the restaurant and real estate fields. A lifelong resident of Riverside County, Calvert also has served in leadership positions at the Corona Chamber of Commerce, the Corona Rotary and the Corona-Norco Family YMCA.