Three Garfield County high school seniors join 12 other students from across the 3rd Congressional District in being nominated by Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., to attend U.S. service academies.

Nominees for the Class of 2026 include Glenwood Springs High School’s Ella Johnson and Ray Rosenmerkel, both for the United States Air Force Academy, and Rifle High School’s Brandon Fletchall for the United States Naval Academy.

“The 15 students I nominated to the U.S. service academies are some of the Third District’s best and brightest,” Boebert said in a recent news release announcing this year’s nominees. “I am inspired by their commitment to using their academic strengths, leadership potential, and unique talents in the service of our country.”

---

---

Each year, the 3rd District representative initiates a competitive process to receive academy nominations based on academic strength, leadership potential and extracurricular involvement. The process also involves an interview before academy nomination boards comprising area veterans, some of whom graduated from the U.S. service academies themselves, the release states.

The U.S. Coast Guard Academy does not require congressional nominations for an appointment. No students from Colorado’s 3rd District applied for a nomination to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

---

---

Applications for the next round of nominations in fall of 2023 will open on July 5. The deadline to apply is Oct. 14, 2022.