What led your son or daughter to apply to the US Naval Academy?

[Sherry James]

Hi Annapolis Moms/Parents:

I was wondering what brought each of our young men and women to apply for the rigourous roller coaster ride we lovingly call Annapolis. Please share your personal experiences and if your child was inspired by someone or becoming an officer or aviator or maybe was recruited by the Academy.

[jcow27]

Our son settled on USNA in 8th grade. I guess it wasn't too surprising since his father is class of '89 (although I must admit we'd never taken the kids to Annapolis at that point). As a Navy kid he's seen lots of "Navy Life", the moving (9 different schools), family separations, etc. but he decided it was the life for him. He attended Summer Seminar and was pretty highly recruited by USNA - they sent a recent graduate out to Tennessee to visit us - and received his appointment in late October. Knowing so early in his senior year has been both a blessing and a curse (he's ready to go now some days and others he wants another year of high school!). We are looking forward to this July when he crosses over from being a Navy dependent to a Midshipman!

[Sherry James]

Congrats! Sounds like your son has known for awhile where he wanted to be -- that's wonderful. As a mom of USNA alum and a son who was recruited but chose a different path I now realize that it is a wonderful opportunity -- if the young man or woman truly wants it. It probably won't be easy breezy but then it isn't supposed to be either. It is about their choice and in some cases finding out once they get there who they are and that choices can be right or wrong. May your soon-to-be mid both learn and grow stronger and wiser from his choice.

[B mom of S]

How funny to see how many of you had mid-wannabes start at around age 12. Yup, that was the magic age for Scott too! He had a teacher whose husband was a Blue and Gold Officer. She would talk about his adventures, and of course Scott loved to watch all those Navy Seal tv specials. He would do special projects and focus on Navy flight, and or astronaut themes. He loved getting all the Navy pencils and Chemistry charts..... Then of course there were the Naval Academy and Navy Seal Flags....By 14 he had his path charted.

[Bonnie]

Greetings!
This brings back such great memories. Our Scott graduated in 05. He too had long time plans to go to the academy. He never waivered in his goal. He is now flying Navy helicopters and makes us so very proud. Hard to believe sometimes that he is flying. The academy was the best thing ever, he grew in a way that would have never been possible otherwise.

[Susie-Mom of BlackGryphon]

Well, I feel like I'm arriving a little late to the party, but here is my son's story. We are home-schoolers, so our contribution to their education took place in the early years. We told our kids early on that they would have to put themselves through college and began explaining their options while they were still in middle school. One option was obviously military service. I come from a four generation Navy family, and our older son is enlisted in the Navy. My husband's dad was an AF pilot. When our boys were very young he would send them posters of military planes with notes like "Fly this one, Tiger!" on them. My youngest took that to heart. When his grandpa died a couple years later, he decided he would follow in his grandpa's footsteps and be an aviator. By the 8th grade he was sure that the Naval Academy was where he wanted to make that dream come true. His essay on his application started like this, " 'Fly this one, Tiger' read the inscription on the poster of the F-117 Nighthawk that hung above my bed. The words were written by U.S. Air Force Colonel Raymond E. Brown, my grandfather." That pretty much says it all!