Field Force Training: Candidate File Management

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Field Force TrainingCandidate File Management
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The Bottom Line
EVERYONE who is appointed to a Service
Academy must be FULLY QUALIFIED with a NOMINATION
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What Does Fully Qualified Mean?

• Meet age requirement
• U.S. citizen
• Qualified academically
• Qualified leadership
• Demonstrated character integrity
• Qualified on the Candidate Fitness Assessment
• Qualified medically

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How Does One BecomeFully Qualified?

• Regional Commander
• Age, citizenship
• 1st evaluation ofAcademic, Leadership, CFA,
• Character Integrity qualification
• Admissions Committee
• Final evaluation of... Academic, Leadership,
  CFA,
• Character Integrity qualification
• DoDMERB
• Medical qualification

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Whole Candidate Concept

• West Point seeks well-rounded young people who
  demonstrate excellent academic ability,
  leadership potential, and physical aptitude.

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Evaluation Process

• Academic (60)
• High school rank
• SAT and/or ACT
• Transcript
• Leadership (30)
• Extra-curricular activities
• Athletic participation
• Teacher evaluations
• Candidate Fitness Assessment (10)
• basketball throw
• pull-ups (men women) / flexed-arm hang (for
  women who cannot do one pull-up)
• shuttle run
• abdominal crunches
• push-ups
• one mile run

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Profile for a Recent Class
Top 20 of High School Class---------------------
----------- 76 Valedictorians-------------------
---------------------------------
8 Salutatorians---------------------------------
--------------------- 5 National Merit
Scholarship Recognition-------------------- 15 N
ational Honor Society-----------------------------
------------ 63 Boys/Girls State----------------
---------------------------------- 18 Class or
Student Body President----------------------------
- 18 Scouting Participant-----------------------
--------------------- 42 Eagle Scout or Gold
Award Winner----------------- 15 Varsity Letter
Winners---------------------------------------- 88
Team Captain----------------------------------
---------- 53 Mean SAT Verbal - 630, Math -
652 Mean ACT English - 28, Math - 29, Sci/Reas
- 28, Reading - 30
The Corps Starts Here!
Directorate of Admissions
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Quality Evaluation

• Statistical data can identify top candidates
• 4 categories of candidates
• Unknown
• Non-competitive
• Competitive
• Admissible

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Unknown Candidates

• Candidates that have not fully completed CQ
• Sent letter informing them of missing
  information required.
• File closed after 60 days

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Non-Competitive Candidates

• Referred to as screened candidates
• Sent letter informing file is closed until
  over-all or academic record improves.
• CQ included with letter for rescreening
• Opportunity to re-apply

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Competitive Candidates

• Sent non-committal letter (non-com)
• Encourages file improvement
• Instructions to seek nomination
• Provides additional information about USMA and
  the Army
• Full-scheduled
• Candidate Kit
• CFA
• Schedule Medical Exam

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Admissable

• Non-Committal
• Letter of Assurance (LOA)
• Reserved cadetship contingent upon
• nomination
• medical qualification
• candidate fitness assessment
• file completion

45-60 days
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Nurturing for Future Candidates

• Talent Searches (PSAT - 100k, PLAN - 15k, NRCCUA
  - 105k)
• Mailings
• Juniors (week 1 Oct)
• Sophomores (week 2 Oct)
• Freshman (week 3 Oct)
• 8th Grade (week 4 Oct)
• 7th Grade (week 1 Nov)
• 5th/6th Grade(week 2 Nov)
• Summer Leaders Seminar (SLS)
• Summer program at USMA for juniors
• Two one-week sessions

Pen Banner Encouragement Letter
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Nurturing Offered Candidates

• Use of Admissible Mailings generally 5
• 1st - Med/legal fact sheet, photo, elements of
  excellence, catalog
• 2nd - Photo, PT article, officers booklet,
  soldier almanac, summers video, ethics book
• 3rd - Parents Club almanac, new cadet book,
  parking pass, final semester transcript notice
• 4th - Supe/Comm/Dean/Cadet COC video
• 5th - Summer training schedule, P.O. Box

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Strengthening our Officer Candidate Pool

• AOG Civil Prep Scholarship Program
• Fully qualified with a nom
• 1 year program at military junior college
• United States Military Academy Preparatory
  School
• Located at Fort Monmouth, NJ
• 10 month program prior to West Point
• Strong leadership potential, but need academic
  remediation

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Congressional District Coordinator (CDC)
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6 Primary Responsibilities

• 1. Candidate contact
• 2. High school visitation
• 3. College Fairs Academy Days
• 4. CPRC outreach
• 5. Special events
• 6. Local Congressional Liaison

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Candidate Contact

• Initial contact with mailings
• Introductory call to candidate
  (June to August)
• FF Website drives follow-up
• Formal interview

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Tracking Candidates

• Second Step Kit
• P Personal Data Record Form
• R Request for Secondary School Transcript Form
• T Transcript (H.S. - semesters)
• C College transcript, if applicable
• S School Officials Evaluations ( received)
• A Candidate Activities Record Form
• G Essay or Candidate Statement Form
• CFA Candidate Fitness Assessment
• Admissions/Field Force Website

Applicants can access Candidate Website to view
status
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Interviews

• Importance of interviews
• Prioritizing
• Good versus poor interviews
• Location
• Time

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High School Visitation

• Establish Relationship with Counselors
• Check for Catalogue/Take One poster
• Use Parents Club/WPS
• POC/twice a year visit
• Recruit for Ed Visit and/or Ed Workshops
• Discuss open files or lack of open files

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College Fairs Academy Days

• Appearance!
• Be engaging- dont sit behind the table
• Use your force multipliers
• WPS
• WPPC
• Cadets
• Plan ahead for reference materials
• Path Guides/Take One Poster/Catalogue
• Order online

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Cadet Public Relations Council (CPRC) Programs
Outreach

• Purpose
• Actuate/excite/provoke/arouse/incite/encourage/
  persuade/invite ... interest in USMA among
  potential candidates
• Conduct other USMA public relations functions
• Pursue media coverage
• TV radio
• PAO
• Newspapers
• Cadets are a valuable resource use them wisely

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CPRC Programs

• Hometown Visit Program
• Thanksgiving
• Spring Break
• Graduation Week
• Candidate Orientation Visits
• Daily Orientations
• Overnight Orientations
• Special Trips
• Congressional Academy Days
• Major By-Invitation Candidate Meetings
• Academic Individual Advanced Development Program
• Liaison Officer Conference
• Summer Leaders Seminar (SLS)
• Boys and Girls State

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Field Force Responsibilities

• Know when CPRC is conducted
• Include CPRC in 18-month plan
• Request CPRC support when submitting plan
• Help create cadet itineraries
• Conduct By-Invite meetings during Hometown Visits
• Inform Congressional offices of CPRC visits
• Coordinate all CPRC engagements at least one
  month out
• Send cadet itinerary at least one week prior to
  departure
• Confirm CPRC engagements at least 3 days prior to
  arrival
• Submit After Action Report NLT two weeks after
  visits

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Special Events
AwardCeremonies
By-Invite
Educator Luncheon
Away FootballGames
FoundersDay
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Fall Travel

• Purpose
• To make contact with candidates of the current
  admissions cycle and provide counseling and
  status of admissions files
• Face-to-face contact with Field Force
• FF Workshops
• Educator Workshops

Spring Travel

• Purpose
• To make contact with potential candidates for the
  next admissions cycle
• Face-to-face contact with Field Force
• FF Workshops
• Educator Workshops

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Congressional Liaison

• One out of five Congressional districts either do
  not nominate or do not nominate qualified
  candidates.
• Assistance with Selection Committees
• WPS/WPPC/MALO
• Must have positive local coordination with
  congressional offices

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Force Multipliers

• West Point Parents Clubs
• West Point Societies Media
• Civic Organizations, Boy Scouts
• Congressional Staffers
• Recruiting Stations, ROTC

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Recruiting / Maintaining theField Force

• Queries on AOG database and Reserve database
• Nurture relationships with WPSs and WPPCs
• Improve bond with both Sr and Jr ROTC programs
• Communication with Recruiting Stations
• Personal recommendations
• More PeopleLess WorkBetter Results