Senator Mike Rounds, US Senator for South Dakota | Official U.S. Senate headshot
Senator Mike Rounds, US Senator for South Dakota | Official U.S. Senate headshot
U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) has announced that his office is accepting applications from high school seniors in South Dakota seeking a nomination to attend a U.S. service academy following graduation.
“Each year, I am honored to nominate our nation’s future military leaders to U.S. service academies,” said Rounds. “By attending an academy, not only will students have the opportunity to serve our nation and help lead the best military in the world, but they will receive an excellent education at a top-notch institution. I encourage young South Dakotans looking to answer the call of duty to consider applying to one of our service academies.”
The deadline for applications for the 2026-2027 freshman class (Class of 2030) is October 10, 2025. Nominations are available for four institutions: The United States Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, The United States Military Academy at West Point, The United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, and The United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point.
Students interested in learning more about the application process can contact Senator Rounds’ Rapid City office at (605) 343-5035 or email Academy_Nominations@rounds.senate.gov. Additional information and application materials are available on Senator Rounds’ website at https://www.rounds.senate.gov/constituents/academy-nominations.
Alerts Sign-up