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Turlock students join list of service academy nominees
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Bryce Brenda Turlock High School Nominated for United States Military Academy, United States Air Force Academy - photo by JONATHAN MCCORKELL / The Journal

Congressman Jeff Denham nominated 23 Californians for appointments to our nation’s service academies. Among the nominees are three local high school seniors who Denham nominated for the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. and the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

The three Turlock seniors are Turlock Christian’s Nicholas Truax for the USNA, Turlock High’s Bryce Brenda for the USMA and USAFA, and Pitman’s Alyssa Bird for the USNA.

“These Californians represent our state’s best, and I’m proud to nominate them to our nation’s military academies,” Congressman Denham stated. “It’s truly inspiring that so many young and talented Californians desire to serve our nation by joining the armed forces.”

To be considered for admission to the armed service academies, all potential students must be nominated by either a member of Congress or the Vice President. Final appointments are decided by each academy. The honor of attending a service academy comes with a commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years active duty and three years reserve, an eight year minimum, upon graduation.

Truax holds a 4.20 GPA at Turlock Christian High School. He is involved in student government, the investing club and played football.

“I’m really interested in serving my country as a career Navy officer. My family has a long tradition of military service going back many generations. It would be an honor to serve my country,” he said.

Truax hopes to major in aeronautical engineering.

Brenda holds a 4.33 GPA and hopes to major in international relations. He is heavily involved in activities at his church and he plays tennis for Turlock High. He also plays trumpet, French horn and marimba in the school band.

“I want to go to West Point because I’ve always had a deeply rooted passion to serve the United States of America,” he said.

Bird holds a 4.0 GPA at Pitman High and she is a cheerleader. She hopes to be admitted to the USNA because when she was a little girl her father (a Navy veteran) took her to a Blue Angels show. Ever since then her goal has been to get into the USNA and become a Blue Angels pilot. She said she is not afraid of gravity forces. She hopes to major in aeronautical engineering.

To contact Jonathan McCorkell, e-mail jmccorkell@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2015.