<p>Mombot,</p>
<p>Wow, </p>
<p>Momoftwins an I are on the same wavelength. Momoftwins is spot on about the academies. I was going to suggest she look into all of them but look closely at the US Merchant Marine Academy. <a href="http://www.usmma.edu%5B/url%5D">www.usmma.edu</a> It is often overlooked but provides a host of options upon graduation that the other academies don't. Also, it was the first federal academy to admit women -- two years before the other four.</p>
<p>At USMMA you have the option upon graduation of serving as an officer in any of the armed forces or the NOAA Corps (I never knew NOAA had its own Navy) or selecting a commission in the Naval Reserve - Merchant Marine Reserve and working anywhere in the US maritime industry. Also, while at USMMA Midshipman spend and entire year at sea training on US flagged merchant ships. S is currently somewhere near Gibraltar in the process of circumnavigating the earth in the first part of his Sea Year.</p>
<p>The process to be accepted is the same as for the other academies except Coast Guard.</p>
<p>Just some more food for thought. </p>
<p>Good luck.</p>