Rep. Sherrill Announces 2024 NJ-11 Appointments to U.S. Service Academies

Livingston, N.J. –  Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) announced the 23 students from New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District appointed to the U.S. Service Academies and attending the Service Academy Preparatory Schools. These students will begin their education and service careers this year at the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, and their associated Preparatory Schools. Rep. Sherrill hosted an event to recognize the students yesterday in Bloomfield.

“I offer my heartfelt congratulations to all of the NJ-11 students who will be attending our nation’s military academies and academy preparatory schools. I remember from my own experience at the Naval Academy that the course of study is intense – both academically and physically – but taught me the true value of teamwork, leadership, and service. I thank all of our students for choosing to put our country over themselves and I wish them well as they begin their military careers as the future leaders of our men and women in uniform,” said Rep. Sherrill.

The 18 NJ-11 students attending U.S. Service Academies:

• Amelia Benjamin, Maplewood – U.S. Naval Academy
• Emma Bradley, Florham Park – U.S. Naval Academy
• Charlene Giessen, Montclair – U.S. Naval Academy
• Ryan Trafford, West Caldwell – U.S. Naval Academy 
• Avinash Uppuluri, Short Hills – U.S. Naval Academy
• Andrew Daly, Wayne – U.S. Naval Academy
• Oliver Acuna-Casey, Morristown – U.S. Military Academy
• Cassidy Ball, Jefferson – U.S. Military Academy 
• John Bigham, Chatham – U.S. Military Academy
• Gabriel Epstein, Montclair – U.S. Military Academy 
• Matias Feoli, Short Hills – U.S. Military Academy
• Joshua Hobaugh, Denville – U.S. Military Academy 
• Karthikean Juttumahadevan, Morris Plains – U.S. Military Academy 
• Cora Webber, Morris Plains – U.S. Military Academy 
• Michael Zuercher, Lincoln Park – U.S. Military Academy 
• Diego Pla-Silsby, Montclair – U.S. Air Force Academy 
• Juliet Trouse, Riverdale – U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
• Connor Wysocki, Randolph – U.S. Merchant Marine Academy

The following five NJ-11 students will be attending Service Academy Preparatory Schools in the coming year. Students attending a Preparatory School do not require a Congressional Nomination:

• Leila Galarza, Parsippany – U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School
• Margaret Hedberg, Montclair – U.S. Naval Academy Preparatory School
• Noah Rega, Madison – U.S. Naval Academy Preparatory School
• Connor Ross, Morris Plains – U.S. Naval Academy Preparatory School
• Alexandra Richard, Bloomfield – U.S. Naval Academy Preparatory School

The Merchant Marine Academy allows Representatives to nominate candidates from anywhere in New Jersey. In addition to the appointees above, Rep. Sherrill nominated the following student who received an appointment to the Merchant Marine Academy:

• William Dozier, Southampton – U.S. Merchant Marine Academy

Rep. Sherrill graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1994 and went on to serve as a Sea King helicopter pilot and Russian policy officer in the U.S. Navy for almost 10 years.

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