Congressman Fong Announces 2025 U.S. Service Academy Appointments
CENTRAL VALLEY, Calif. – Today, Congressman Vince Fong (CA-20) announced four high school students from California’s 20th District have earned an appointment to a United States Service Academy, specifically the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy.
“I want to extend a special congratulations to our local students who have been appointed to attend one of our nation's prestigious Service Academies this fall,” said Congressman Vince Fong (CA-20). “Nominating remarkable students from our region for admission to our United States Service Academies is one of the greatest honors I’m afforded as a U.S. Representative. These young men and women are answering the call to serve, dedicating their lives to defending and protecting our country as our nation’s next generation of military leaders. I wish each of them the best of luck and look forward to seeing their future accomplishments.”
The following is a list of the candidates nominated by Congressman Fong who have also received and accepted an Offer of Appointment to our nation's service academies, and will be part of the Class of 2029 entering in June 2025:
United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO
- Kade Bravo, 22, of Taft, California attended United States Air Force Academy Preparatory School, Colorado Springs, CO and is the son of Bo and Brandie Bravo.
- Braeden Hill, 17, of Friant, California attended University High School in Fresno and is the son of C. Aaron and Shawna Hill.
- Cade Moxham, 21, of Bakersfield California attended Foothills Composite High School in Okotoks, Alberta, Canada and is the son of Charlie and Carmen Moxham.
United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD
- Joanna Lee, 18, of Visalia, California, attended El Diamante High School in Visalia and is the daughter of Wook Lee and Seonim Yu.
Members of Congress may nominate candidates for appointment to four of the five U.S. service academies: U.S. Military Academy (USMA), West Point, NY; the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), Annapolis, MD; the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), Colorado Springs, CO; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), Kings Point, NY. The fifth service academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA), New London, CT, does not require a congressional nomination for appointment.
These nominations are based on a rigorous selection process that considers academic excellence, commitment to service, and leadership potential. Each candidate was interviewed by Congressman Fong’s Service Academy Committee whose members included: Cam Martin, former External Affairs Director at NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center, father of two United States Naval Academy graduates; (Committee Chair) Brigadier General Douglas Wickert, Commanding Officer, 412th Test Wing, Edwards Air Force Base, United States Air Force Academy graduate; Bob Ainley, Attorney and Owner of the Darling Hotel in Visalia; Derek Jeffery, Vice President & General Manager for KGET-TV, Telemundo, and CW Bakersfield stations; and Dr. April Moore, Superintendent, Sierra Sands Unified School District in Ridgecrest.
The honor of attending a service academy comes with the obligation and commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation, shaping future leaders through a blend of academic excellence, character development, physical aptitude, and leadership training. Graduates earn a Bachelor of Science degree and are commissioned as officers. To find out more about requesting a Military Academy Nomination from our office, please visit https://fong.house.gov/services/military-academy-nominations.
