Cole Announces 2008 Academy Nominations

WASHINGTON – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) announced today the names of students who have been nominated from the Fourth Congressional District for entry into one of America's prestigious military academies. The schools who participate in the Congressional nomination program are the U.S. Air Force, Merchant Marine, Military Academy at West Point and the Naval Academy.

These students have been recognized as outstanding candidates for entry into an academy in fall 2008. The academy nomination selection process is highly competitive. Congressman Cole and the academy recommendation panel evaluate candidates based on academic criteria such as: class rank, SAT/ACT scores and school records. Other criteria such as athletic activities, physical fitness, extracurricular activities and outside recommendations are also taken into consideration when evaluating the student's leadership potential.

"Each year I have an opportunity to review outstanding candidates from the Fourth District and recommend them for an appointment to one of our nation's fine military academies," Congressman Cole said. "I am pleased to nominate a new class of students to our nation's academies. These students are truly top-tier candidates with a desire to serve our state and our country."

Below is the list of students who received nominations as well as their hometowns, high school information and academies they received nominations into. Now each of the applicants is being considered by the respective academies for admission into the school's program. Some of the candidates have requested and received nominations for more than one academy.

United States Air Force Academy
David T. Hoang, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma School of Science and Math
McAllister L. Vaughan, Lawton, Lawton High School
Bamboo W. Hewitt, Norman, Asociacion Escuelas Lincoln
Matthew A. Brown, Midwest City, Midwest City High School

United States Military Academy
McAllister L. Vaughan, Lawton, Lawton High School
Daniel E. Titterington, Oklahoma City, Westmoore High School
Ignacio A. Suarez, Lawton, Eisenhower High School
James M. Phillips, Faxon, James I. O'Neill High School
Matthew A. Brown, Midwest City, Midwest City High School
Greg Porter, Tuttle, Bridge Creek
Aaron G. Mallory, Wynnewood, Moanalu High School

United States Merchant Marine Academy
Matthew A. Brown, Midwest City, Midwest City High School
Greg Porter, Tuttle, Bridge Creek

United States Naval Academy
David T. Hoang, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma School of Science and Math
McAllister L. Vaughan, Lawton, Lawton High School
Zoraya Hightower, Ada, Oklahoma School of Science and Math
Cody W. Crossland, Oklahoma City, Westmoore High School
Matthew A. Brown, Midwest City, Midwest City High School
Greg Porter, Tuttle, Bridge Creek
Aaron G. Mallory, Wynnewood, Moanalu High School

###