Undergraduate / US Naval Academy congressional nomination interest essay [2]

Candidates are required to write an essay (approx. 200-300 words) on their reasons for wanting to attend a Service Academy.

Robert Greenleaf once said, "Good leaders must first become good servants." Whether I be a servant to our Lord or to our country, the word service has always had a sacred meaning to me. Regardless of the act, the passage John 3:16 comes to mind, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.", that is the ultimate service of sacrifice. To put your life in the line of fire for the betterment of others is divine, an immortal act.

I didn't always think about the Academies like I do now; it all started with a single spark. My father, an army veteran, was the genesis of my interest towards the Naval Academy. He never cared if I learned the strategies employed by Sun Tzu or the different wars and conflicts throughout history, rather he only wanted me to genuinely understand what it meant to serve our country proudly. And truthfully, I think he succeeded; I wholeheartedly believe that my father helped me realize my goal in life to become salt to the earth, something the Naval Academy can help me attain.

I have always perceived the Naval Academy to be the narrow gate of service, and only the finest members of society can enter through that strait passage. I believe that my contagious fervor for helping others, accompanied by my pursuit of honor, shows my potential to become one of those exclusive members in our nation. Acceptance into the United States Naval Academy would not only allow me to grow as a servant of man but also guide me forward in my unselfish service and devotion to the welfare of others.