Tag Archives: West Point

Kentwood resident nominated for prestigious military academy

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Education, , , ,

Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
WKTV Managing Editor
joanne@wktv.org

The United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, is the second oldest U.S. service academy. (Courtesy, U.S. Library of Congress)

A Kentwood resident is one of six people who were nominated by Senator Debbie Stabenow for admission into four of the five United States service academies.

Addison Turk is a senior at West Michigan Aviation Academy. She is currently on the school’s girls varsity basketball team. Addison is seeking to entering the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.

The United States Naval Academy is the second oldest of the five U.S. service academies, established Oct. 10, 1845. The Naval Academy educates midshipmen for service in the office corps of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. Notable graduates include 39th President Jimmy Carter, business magnate Henry Ross Perot, former Senator John McCain, and several NASA astronauts including Wendy B. Lawrence and Sunita Lyn Williams. 

“Michigan is fortunate to have so many exceptional students who want to serve our country through military service,” Stabenow said in a released statement. “Having demonstrated a strong commitment to excellence in and out of the classroom, I am confident they will represented Michigan and our country well.”

Students seeking appointment to a service academy must first obtain the nomination of their U.S. Senator, their U.S. Representative, or the current U.S. Vice President. Students nominated by Stabenow’s office went though a highly competitive application process that included interviews by veteran, military and community leaders. Now that the students have been nominated, they must wait acceptance for admission by the academy to which they have applied.

All of Stabenow’s nominations came from the West Michigan area. The other nominations are:

Anna Dinsmore, from Kalamazoo, seeking to enter into the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO

William Gryzen, from Hudsonville, seeking to enter the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO

Bradley Lowe, from North Muskegon, seeking to enter the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY

Nathan Onderlinde, from Dorr, seeking to enter the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY

Chase Williams, from Allegan, seeking to enter the United Site Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD