Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a combat veteran and a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today nominated Iowa students from across the state to the United States’ Service Academies.
“As a mother of a West Point cadet and a company commander who served over 23 years in uniform, one of the Senate duties I enjoy most each year is nominating outstanding Iowa students, and America’s future leaders, to our nation’s Service Academies,” said Senator Joni Ernst. “Every single one of this year’s bright applicants have demonstrated their skill and hard work, and I’m so pleased to support them as they take the next step in their journey and begin down the path of serving our nation.”
Senator Ernst reviews Iowa students’ applications for U.S. Service Academy nominations for the Class of 2026.
Below are the Iowa students who were nominated by Senator Ernst to attend U.S. Service Academies for the Class of 2026:
United States Air Force Academy
Elijah Brinkley, Mason City
Crystal Castellano, Des Moines
Nicholas Dietzenbach, Cresco
Grant Kimball, Norwalk
William Klabunde, Waterloo
Anthony Lee, Cedar Rapids
Jackson Maddox, Ankeny
Cainan Murra, Bondurant
Cole Norris, Des Moines
Morgan Svec, Cumming
United States Military Academy
Charles Bell, Altoona
Margaret Gorman, Springville
Paxton Huemiller, Algona
Jackson Mace-Maynard, Newton
Joseph Olesen, Hiawatha
Zachariah Olson, Ankeny
Kohen Rankin, Hull
Caleb Shenouda, Clive
Ty Trotter, Ames
Sebastian Vasquez, Red Oak
United States Naval Academy
Michael Davis, Treynor
Annamaria Dimon, Urbandale
Dylan Farrell, Ankeny
Alizia Frieze, Council Bluffs
Anna Larson, Johnston
Kyra Parrott, Grinnell
Jacob Pipho, Decorah
Tyler Shelton, Harlan
Jake Wiersma, Urbandale
Claire Wiese, Dyersville
United States Merchant Marine Academy
Sam Covill, Urbandale
Margaret Gorman, Springville
Jayden Krehbiel, Elkhart
Aaron Maguire, Ames
Hunter Shook, Coralville
Claire Wiese, Dyersville
Every year, Ernst nominates Iowa students to America’s Service Academies, including the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy does not require a congressional nomination for students to apply. To learn more about the service academy nomination process, click here.
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