<p>I have a slight situation. I was offered a nomination interview from John McCain on the same day I will be at CVW... I know I should go with the interview I guess I was just wondering if anyone had any advice?</p>
<p>Oh and I'm planning on calling McCain's office to see if they have any other dates but I doubt it...</p>
<p>I bet if you explain they can change your interview date.</p>
<p>I'm going to try my best- I just know that sometimes nominating boards only meet on one day...</p>
<p>Your in kind of a sticky wicket. You can't get into the academy without a nomination, so if it isn't possible for you to reschedule you have to weigh your likelihood of getting a nomination from either Cheney, your rep, or your other senator (Kyl I think). Ultimately it is your decision, but I think that you should go to CVW and have a good time. Hopefully you can reschedule with McCain so that you don't have to worry at CVW that you are costing yourself a nomination. Best of luck with your application.</p>
<p>Haha yeah- I had suspicions this might happen with a CVW in November...
I think they have CVW's later though- is that right??? Does anyone think that the academy would invite me to a later one if possible?</p>
<p>Don't assume anything or special favors. Ask yourself what is required to gain admission to the academy. Asked and answered. We had a similar situation in Georgia a couple of years ago when the same thing happened. Guess what? Those who had conflicts lost out on their chance for a nomination interview. Your MOC and their committee are NOT the academy and they have their own schedule to keep. Make your life easier by making their life easier and comply to their instructions. Otherwise, do what you wish. But don't expect any sympathy from those who did what was required of them. To quote Yoda, "Do! Or do not. There is no 'try'".</p>
<p>Sounds familiar.</p>
<p>My Representative's interview is scheduled for Nov 17, same as the CVW. In my invitation, I was also offered an Oct 25-27 CVW, minus a lot of bells and whistles. I emailed my Representative with my conundrum, and this was the response:
[quote]
Congressman Carter’s academy interviews are set for November 17th in his Round Rock office. **Please do not turn down the USNA Candidate Visit due to the interviews being on the same day. **Each year there will several candidates’ files that go to the Academy Board without the candidate being present for the interview. The Academy Board certainly understands that there will be conflicts in schedules and all candidates cannot be present. I will make a notation in your file, so that the Academy Board will know the reason for you not attending. Our office has received your LOA from West Point for your file. I am sure that the Academy Board would want you to visit USNA before making a commitment to either academy.
[/quote]
The bold was her emphasis, not mine. </p>
<p>It is a catch-22 for sure, but I would definitely ask McCain if you could reschedule. If I remember correctly, we had a 7-person board for my interviews last year, so it is an understandable trouble to reschedule, but it's definitely worth an ask.</p>
<p>Anyhow, my plans shifted and it became obvious that the no-bells-and-whistles October CVW would be better for me to attend for a variety of reasons. I called and got slid in, enabling me to carry through with my Nov 17 interviews.</p>
<p>Personally, I was leaning towards the CVW. Mainly because I was already nominated by this board last year, but also because I already have an LOA (which should ease the nomination process a little bit more) and a legit reason to be gone. </p>
<p>So, to sum all that up...ask McCain to reschedule (explain WHY). If not, call USNA, talk to your regional director and see about a later CVW or doing your own weekend drag (explain WHY). If no mutually inclusive agreement can be reached, go to the interviews and visit USNA on your own in the spring.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the help...I'll call McCain's office first thing tomorrow- hope it goes well!</p>
<p>For CVW you can pick which one you go to. I was invited to Oct and Nov but I had conflicts so I am going in January.</p>
<p>^^^^
My recommendation is to reschedule the CVW. The academy has several CVWs during the year including January, February, March and April. You only get one shot at an interview for a nomination. If you don't have a nomination, attending a CVW becomes a moot issue.</p>
<p>The youngster rescheduled his CFW due to XC regions - not problem doing so. Academy gave him choices starting in January, he just called his regional director and everything was taken care of. Then had to reschedule Nomination interview due to State XC. That was a bit more complicated with him coming close to withdrawing his interview from said Senator.</p>
<p>You've already received the good counsel you need. USNA should be very understanding ... and pleased to know of your McCain interview. Feedback on CC reveals they've always been accommodating on these issues. Congrats, good luck, and tell McCain's men to stay the course! He may not win, but this race needs some straightshooters. He's a great American hero, who sometimes wonders around in the political wilderness, but that changes not his character and what he has done for me and all of us.</p>
<p>P.S. If you've not done so, read his book. Very worthwhile glimpse of him, his family, his naval insights, and even some of the politics of USNA. My guess is were he a "normal" Mid, he'd soon not have been. :confused: It does not hurt having a pop and grandpop who've been flag officers! (And I hear his own current Mid merits some of the same RHIP.)</p>
<p>While I haven't read his book, its on my to do list, I have read a lot about him and his is the nomination that I would be most honored to recieve. Thanks so much for all of the great advice!</p>
<p>It is fascinating to read the counsel from other candidates who are emphatic about their reasoning. Seems the adults are in agreement that you reschedule the CVW, while many of the candidates say to call McCain's office and get them to change to accommodate you. Hope you can read between the lines.</p>
<p>The counsel from the candidate to whom you refer was quoting a MOC's office and that office's advice.</p>
<p>This is certainly one of those "depends" situations - and could depend on the candidate and competition. In a district with little competition the MOC may see the interview as a mere formality. While many on this board live in very competitive districts there are some that do not fill their slate. They have a complete package of the candidate. In that case missing the interview is really no big deal - it is just you don't know that. A candidate who gets invited to CVW is most likely a top candidate - visiting at some point should be a top priority and the MOC may not want to see the visit wasted.</p>
<p>While - a candidate should never take lightly missing a nomination interview - some do and for unavoidable reasons. Many offices will provide phone interviews for these instances. This is not a "one size fits all" situation.</p>
<p>Yes, not every situation is the same. That being said, it would be in the best interest of any candidate to obtain a nomination before going on a sightseeing trip if that were their only option. Just trying to help them see through the chatter, regardless of where it comes from.</p>
<p>As the Major suggests, major in the majors, i.e. those things critical to success and achieving the objective.</p>
<p>I called McCain's office today and had to leave a message. I played phone tag with his secretary and found out that that is the only date for the interview...looks like I'm going to try to reschedule my cvw :(</p>
<p>^^^ good decision.</p>
<p>Just remember-
you can get an appointment without ever attending a CVW-
you cannot get an appointment without a nomination.</p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>Yep, you might get an appointment to a place where you really don't want to be. A CVW would have cemented the decision earlier.</p>
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<p>Wrong. Incorrect perspective. No candidate should ever think of CVW as a "sightseeing trip". It is a valuable experience to see what a SA is all about.</p>
<p>Do both. If a conflict arises, either the SA or your schedule is inflexible, and the MOC is accomodating, do the CVW.</p>