BOROUGHWIDE — Each year, members of Congress nominate candidates to four of the five U.S. service academies, the U.S. Military Academy in West Point; the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis; the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York.
On Wednesday, Jan. 22, U.S. Rep. Max Rose, whose 11th Congressional District encompasses all of Staten Island and a swath of southwest Brooklyn, announced that he had nominated 20 local students for admission, including seven who live in Brooklyn.
The Brooklyn nominees are Alexander Camaev, Stuyvesant High School, to the USMA; Isabella Chirico, Fontbonne Hall Academy, to the USMA; Justin Cohen, Staten Island Technical High School, to the USAFA; Gabriella Eitkis, Leon M. Goldstein High School, to the USMMA; Maximilian Propisnoy, Brooklyn Technical High School, to the USMA; Michael Roudik, Leon M. Goldstein High School, to the USMA; and Emma Cassidy, Xaverian High School, to the USMA.
“These students are the prime example of what makes this the greatest country in the world — they want to serve, and it is my absolute honor to help put them on that path,” said Rose, a decorated Army combat veteran.
Rose honored all the nominees at a reception at the Staten Island Hilton Garden Inn on Wednesday.
U.S. Rep. Max Rose with this year’s military service nominees.
“I think back to the men and women I served with — the selfless sacrifice, the willingness to put aside their differences because that’s what their country asked of them. Those are the exact same qualities that I see in each of these incredible young individuals I’m proud to nominate to our U.S. service academies,” Rose said.
During the reception, John Artnzen, USMMA ’79, director and past chairperson of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Association and Foundation and a member of Rose’s Nominations Committee, addressed the group and provided a presentation on the various service academies and the merits of service, as well as an overview of the entire admissions process.
Cassidy, a 17-year-old senior at Xaverian was thrilled to be selected. “Being nominated by Max Rose for admission to West Point is a great honor, and receiving the certificate in a room filled with so many panelists, who have served extensively in our country’s armed forces, was very special,” she told this paper.
The nominees from Staten Island were Adrian Abella, Patrick Perosi and Amya White to the USMA; Ilyas Alyokhin, Sean Andres and Bernard Kelly, III, to the USAFA; Danny Berbari, James Colesanti, Anuga Ekanayake, Joseph Franco, Deirdre McCafferty and Frank Scafuri, IV, to the USNA; and Juha Yoon to the USMMA.
Rose’s office — which received applications from 43 students — had previously conducted a thorough nomination process, including in-person interviews with Rose’s Service Academy Nominations Committee.
The fifth service academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut does not require a congressional nomination for appointment.
The honor of attending a service academy comes with a commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation.
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