U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill announced that her office has begun the process for nominating young Missourians to the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy for an appointment to the Class of 2022.

“It’s truly an honor to be able to help Missouri students who want to attend some of our country’s most prestigious institutions to serve this great nation and keep us safe and secure,” said McCaskill, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “Missouri has a proud tradition of military service, and these students will represent the very best of our state’s values and deep sense of patriotism.”

Candidates for a Congressional nomination must be a resident of Missouri and a U.S. citizen; at least 17 years old and not past his or her 23rd birthday by July 1 of the year of admission; unmarried with no children or dependents; and able to meet high leadership, academic, physical and medical standards. For the Merchant Marine Academy, the upper age limit is 25. The Coast Guard Academy does not require a Congressional nomination.

McCaskill had the honor of nominating 14 Missourians from across the state who accepted appointments to one of the four academies for the Class of 2021.

To ensure that nominations to the Service Academies are based on merit and every applicant has a fair chance to compete for available openings, McCaskill uses a Service Academy Recommendation Committee made up of community leaders from around Missouri. The committee reviews each application and recommends candidates for nomination. Applicants must complete the online questionnaire and submit all other application items to McCaskill’s St. Louis district office on or before October 2, 2017 to be considered for a nomination.