Military Times EDGE

You might call the U.S. service academies one of the best-kept commissioning secrets available to enlisted troops. That’s because hundreds of slots set aside for service members — both active duty and reserve — have gone unfilled in recent years.

“I am convinced we are just not doing a good enough job of getting the word out that these appointments are available,” said Maj. Brian Easley, head of enlisted admissions at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

West Point, for example, offers 170 slots tagged exclusively for enlisted troops from all military branches every year. Only 67 of those appointments were actually filled this year.

The other academies aren’t faring any better.

Although 223 airmen applied to the Air Force Academy this year, only 51 were offered one of its 170 enlisted appointments, according to Tech. Sgt. Cortchie Welch. The Naval Academy filled the fewest of any academy’s 170 slots, with only 43 sailors and Marines getting the nod to become midshipmen.

Easley is sure that qualified troops are out there but don’t find out about the slots early enough to apply. Applicants must be younger than 23 before they begin classes at any of the academies. It’s too bad, too. Turns out prior-enlisted folks do as well, if not better than, their younger classmates, officials said.

“I expect that this is due to their life experiences and level of maturity,” Easley said.

At West Point, for example, the top two student leadership posts are now held by prior enlisted personnel.

Nichols Schmitz, a graduate of the Naval Academy’s Class of 2006, enrolled from the fleet. He became a regimental commander, in charge of half of the brigade of midshipmen. He graduated second in his class and was a Rhodes scholar. This year’s brigade commander, the top student post, is Ryan Steenberge, also prior-enlisted.