Rounds Announces Nominations to U.S. Service Academies for 2019-2020 School Year

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced that he has nominated 25 South Dakota students to the nation’s service academies for the 2019-2020 school year.

“The U.S. service academies only accept the best and the brightest,” said Rounds. “I am fortunate to have the opportunity to nominate 25 highly-qualified students to the academies this year. Each student I nominated went through a thorough application process and has proved that he or she possesses the necessary qualities to succeed at our service academies. I commend this year’s group of students for their desire to serve our nation and I wish them all the best.”

Each year, members of Congress are allowed to nominate students from their state to the U.S. service academies. Each academy then gives full and fair consideration to these nominations when selecting enrollees. More information about the academy application process can be found here.

Principal Nominations

Brysen Reeser of Sioux Falls to the U.S. Military Academy

Kyras Fort of Box Elder to the U.S. Naval Academy (Fort also received a competitive nomination to the U.S. Military Academy from Rounds)

Aiden Diedrich of Sioux Falls to the U.S. Air Force Academy

Competitive Nominations

Bryn Ellwein of Sioux Falls to the U.S. Military Academy (Ellwein has received a Letter of Assurance from the U.S. Military Academy)

Isaac Olson of Mobridge to the U.S. Military Academy

Taylor O’Brien of Leesburg, VA, (South Dakota resident) to the U.S. Military Academy

Justin Weaver of Dakota Dunes to the U.S. Military Academy and the U.S. Air Force Academy

Mitchell Kistner of North Sioux City to the U.S. Military Academy

Dominick Oedekoven of Sturgis to the U.S. Military Academy and the U.S. Air Force Academy

Marita Schmitz of Rapid City to the U.S. Military Academy and U.S. Naval Academy (Schmitz has received a Letter of Assurance from the U.S. Naval Academy)

Henry Jensen of Dakota Dunes to the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy and U.S. Merchant Marines Academy

Frank Hines of Huron to the U.S. Naval Academy (Hines has received a Letter of Assurance from the U.S. Naval Academy)

Claire Hussey of Pierre to the U.S. Naval Academy

Frank Veldhuizen of Rapid City to the U.S. Naval Academy

Gavin West of Piedmont to the U.S. Naval Academy

Jacob Frantzen of New Underwood to the U.S. Naval Academy

Samuel McNeil of Herreid to the U.S. Naval Academy

Jack Elliot of Sioux Falls to the U.S. Naval Academy

Sierra Hillard of Whitewood to the U.S. Air Force Academy (Hillard has received a Letter of Assurance from the U.S. Air Force Academy)

Haley Deome of Ramstein Air Base (South Dakota resident) to the U.S. Air Force Academy

Reagan Wombold of Rapid City to the U.S. Air Force Academy

Jay Dykstra of Rapid City to the U.S. Air Force Academy

Jaden Petersen of Brookings to the U.S. Air Force Academy and U.S. Merchant Marines Academy

Prescott Haber of Sioux Falls to the U.S. Air Force Academy

Alexander Miller of Brandon to the U.S. Merchant Marines Academy

Competitive nominations are submitted to the academies, along with nominees from other states, and selected by the academy on a limited, competitive basis. Principal nominations are guaranteed admission if they meet all of the requirements of the academy to which they are nominated. Students with a Letter of Assurance from an academy are guaranteed admission as long as the nominee meets all other requirements of the academy.

###