We are excited to announce our new premium podcast episodes.  We have taken the best bits from our previous podcasts and consolidated them--adding additional material that we am sure will be of interest to you.

The areas we cover on our premium podcast episodes include interview preparation and the DODMERB physical.   We will be adding more content in the near future.  

Premium Podcast Episodes

This is a rebroadcast from our sister podcast-- ROTC Scholarships.

The Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program provides youth from ages 12 and up with training in aerospace education, leadership and physical fitness. The experience in Civil Air Patrol enhances ones "propensity for the military" and can help applicants obtain a Service Academy Appointment.  This episode is an interview with the Director of Cadet Programs for Delaware Wing, LtCol John Lierenz.

Show Notes

Show Transcript

Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program Website

Civil Air Patrol Unit Locator

Many people know what the words Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor and Integrity mean. But how often do you see someone actually live up to them? Military officers must embody these values in order to succeed and be the best leaders for their subordinates. 

Those who read your essays or interview you for an Academy appointment or ROTC scholarship have this values mindset.  Understanding the military officer ethos and showing how you embody these characteristics is the cornerstone of successfully preparing for and succeeding in your application essays and interviews. 

The mission of the US Naval Academy is to develop Midshipmen morally, mentally and physically and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, honor and loyalty in order to graduate leaders who are dedicated to a career of naval service and have potential for future development in mind and character, to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government.

In this episode, we interview a recent graduate who is an active duty Naval Surface Warfare Officer.

The Merchant Marine Academy is a federal service academy that educates leaders of exemplary character who are inspired to serve the national security, marine transportation, and economic needs of the United States as licensed Merchant Marine Officers and commissioned officers in the Armed Forces.  In this episode, we interview a recent graduate who is an active duty Air Force officer.

Candidates (and parents) often confuse the difference between a nomination and an appointment to a Service Academy, especially if candidates are otherwise fully qualified.  A candidate must be academically, physically, and medically qualified with a nomination in order to be considered for an appointment.  The nomination must be to the specific Service Academy

Basically, a nomination is the legal authority for a Service Academy to consider a candidate for appointment.

In this episode, we will look at gaining a nomination through a Member of Congress

If a Service Academy candidate fails to obtain an appointment as a senior in high school or did not apply, doing a year of ROTC in college can give an applicant a significant advantage over other applicants.  In this episode, we talk about the reasons for this and why.

The Candidate Fitness Assessment (CFA) is worth 10% of the overall evaluation of a Service Academy applicant.  It is important, therefore, to do well on this test.  In this episode, we interview the experts at Platoon Fitness regarding how to succeed on the CFA.

CFA Calculator

The Service Academies offer the chance for a select few graduates to commission as an officer and go directly to medical school to serve in the armed forces as a doctor.

In this episode, we interview retired Army Colonel and West Point graduate, Dr. Bill Corr, and discuss how to get into medical school directly after graduation and commissioning from the Air Force Academy, Naval Academy, and West Point.

About 240 cadet or midshipmen candidates attend each of the three Service Academy prep schools every year. Of these 240 attendees, about 200 end up being selected to attend a Service Academy, getting us to the 80% acceptance rate.   This episode will talk out these Prep Schools and who typically receives an appointment.