BURLINGTON, Vt., Dec. 27 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) will recognize nineteen young Vermonters who are being nominated to be members of the Class of 2028 at the United States Service Academies. At the annual reception held at the Vermont State House, students from across Vermont will receive nomination certificates signed by members of the Vermont Congressional Delegation. Prior to the ceremony, Sanders, Welch, and Balint will host the nominees and current Service Academy students from Vermont for a roundtable discussion.

The five military academies are: U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, Coast Guard Academy, and Merchant Marine Academy. Applicants to U.S. Service Academies must receive a nomination as part of the application requirements. While there are other political nomination sources that applicants may qualify for, a congressional nomination is the most common. The names of this year’s nominees, selected by Sanders, Welch, and Balint through a competitive application process, and sent to the Academies for final decisions, are:

Gabriel Aubuchon of Hardwick, Vermont (U.S. Air Force Academy)
Nominated by: Senator Sanders, Senator Welch

Benjamin Berg of Brattleboro, Vermont (U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy)
Nominated by: Senator Welch, Representative Balint

Cooper Boulanger of Barre, Vermont (U.S. Air Force Academy)
Nominated by: Senator Sanders, Senator Welch

Lillian Caputo of Burlington, Vermont (U.S. Air Force Academy)
Nominated by: Senator Sanders, Senator Welch, Representative Balint

Connor Gorman of Randolph, Vermont (U.S. Naval Academy)
Nominated by: Senator Sanders

Nikolas Graupe of Stowe, Vermont (U.S. Air Force Academy)
Nominated by: Senator Sanders, Senator Welch, Representative Balint

Brendan Hawko of Shelburne, Vermont (U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy)
Nominated by: Senator Sanders, Senator Welch, Representative Balint

Michael Hornby of Dorset, Vermont (U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy)
Nominated by: Senator Sanders, Senator Welch, Representative Balint

Calvin James of Stowe, Vermont (U.S. Naval Academy)
Nominated by: Senator Sanders, Senator Welch, Representative Balint

Joshua Lajeunesse of Montpelier, Vermont (U.S. Military Academy)
Nominated by: Senator Sanders, Senator Welch, Representative Balint

Spencer Levi of Jericho, Vermont (U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy)
Nominated by: Senator Sanders, Senator Welch

Roger Lucas of Norwich, Vermont (U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy)
Nominated by: Senator Sanders, Senator Welch

Tori McNamara of Windsor, Vermont (U.S. Air Force Academy)
Nominated by: Senator Sanders, Senator Welch, Representative Balint

Tate Nightingale of South Burlington, Vermont (U.S. Air Force Academy)
Nominated by: Senator Sanders

Konnery O’Suileabhain of Lyndonville, Vermont (U.S. Naval Academy)
Nominated by: Senator Sanders, Senator Welch, Representative Balint

Iola Parry of South Burlington, Vermont (U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Military Academy)
Nominated by: Senator Sanders, Senator Welch, Representative Balint

Brockton Roick of Stowe, Vermont (U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy)
Nominated by: Senator Sanders, Senator Welch, Representative Balint

Eri Smith of Jericho, Vermont (U.S. Air Force Academy)
Nominated by: Senator Sanders, Senator Welch, Representative Balint

James Wright of Arlington, Vermont (U.S. Air Force Academy)
Nominated by: Senator Welch

Vermont high school students interested in learning more about attending a U.S. Service Academy can visit: https://www.sanders.senate.gov/vermont/services/academies/