<p>What is the earliest date that the first letters of assurance usually come out? How do candidates first get notified of LOA - mail, email, website, ALO, MOC? Thanks!</p>
<p>All depends. I'd say the earliest LOAs are sent out in October.. The actual letter comes through the mail, but you may or may not be notified from your congressman or ALO. Some call, some don't. It all just depends on what they decide.. Keep in mind that VERY few LOAs are given out period, somewhere in the range of 200-400, and that includes from October til like march. You'll have to have everything done but your nomination and DoDMERB to even be considered.. So, the earlier the better!</p>
<p>The first LOAs should go out within about a month, like H said. I didn't find out until I'd received the letter itself.</p>
<p>Thanks. </p>
<p>Should have read early threads and would have found about about the timing. However, I appreciate your responses about how a candidate would find out.</p>
<p>So far, we have found out things - first posted on the website (before letters came for candidate package). For Summer Seminar, our ALO called the house and let us know before the official letter came.</p>
<p>We are all completed with candidate package but one math teacher evaluation that had some problem with the email evaluation. That should be completed and faxed up manually this week. DODMERB is qualified and checked off.</p>
<p>Now on to nominations - which should not be hard since most of that info is already someone on the AFA candidate package.</p>
<p>Our senator deadlines are not until Oct. 15 & 17 and representative is not until Nov. 15. All said it did not matter if you got their paperwork in early - they still would not start meeting to discuss candidates until after those deadlines. I wish there was better coordination between what AFA needs and what MOC needs. So much duplication. We now MOC evaluations for teachers, coaches, ministers to fill out again that are almost identical to the ones they already filled out for the AFA.</p>
<p>My son got his LOA on October 19th last year - his birthday!</p>
<p>Yeah, I just talked to my AFA counselor on my visit. She said that they send LOAs out Mid-October. Really hoping to get one.</p>
<p>By the way, the VP nomination is just that one letter, right? You don't have to do anything else?</p>
<p>My C4C son's assurance notification was posted in his application status on the web and we then got the letter in the mail October 22, 2007.</p>
<p>A little off topic but.... Will a letter of recommendation from a Major General probably help with getting a nomination from a MOC? I'm going to have a meeting with the Adjutant General of the MN Army/Air National Guard near the end of the month. Will that add a little weight to my nom. request?</p>
<p>I don't know how much influence a letter of rec such as you suggest would have with your MOC. For my sons, I don't suspect it would make would have made much difference. </p>
<p>Perhaps an ALO could enlighten us here.</p>
<p>Just to clarify, I'm not asking if something like that will automatically get me a nomination. I'm just wondering if they deem me as a qualified candidate for a nomination and there are a bunch of other qualified applicants too on the same level as me, would it help to "seal the deal"?</p>
<p>I got my LOA on Oct 19 last year, and my ALO called like 2 weeks later to tell me the good news... lol</p>
<p>starvin, while I don't think it would hurt your chances, I think most of the MOC's want to see YOUR accomplishments, YOUR character. I could be wrong though. If it is between you and a similarly qualified applicant, such a letter might tip the scale in your favor - who knows? </p>
<p>For our area, these decisions were made by committee, not necessarily by the MOC himself.</p>
<p>Wow, it really doesnt feel like a year ago when I was asking all these questions...</p>
<p>PLEASE time go by that quickly now!!! ;)</p>
<p>yea seriously</p>
<p>Starvin...</p>
<p>To add some perspective. I am good friends with the son of a former Chief of Naval Operations. (Soaring Son was interested in Annapolis, too.) I asked the same question to my friend you are asking now. My friend asked his father and the answer was that the Admiral's recommendation would carry some weight, but only if everything else was up to par (grades, extracurriculars, scores, etc.) Based on this, there does not seem to be a "free pass" for those with some sort of connections. (And I am not implying that you need one, but feel I should put the words out there for the public to see.) </p>
<p>Anyhow, I would imagine that the Admiral's advice would apply to your situation. Good luck and as others have hinted, be careful what you wish for!</p>
<p>AF16 - yeah, I can remember emailing you last fall... time does fly!</p>
<p>how bout we just skip to spring break 2009 :)!</p>
<p>I like that idea!</p>
<p>Me too! :D</p>