I was walking through the Hall as well as classes were changing, so recognize me and civil Congressman Gates are you here to look at your picture on the Nice High School Hall of Fame. I had to tell them I did not make the Hall of Fame. My dad at the time was running for school superintendent against the principal of Niceville High School. My senior here so that has a way of keeping you out of the Hall of Fame. It's good to have her dad. I'm good to be back in High School where we're going to begin as we always do our official events with the presentation of the colors please rise for the presentation. Please present the colors. Mark Dog Arch. Go. Breathe up go. Can you see by the? Whose broad stripes and bright stars? Dreams Or the left. Okay go. Ready Go Mark Arch Right Forward March I always get accused of favoritism for this, but I promise there's no favorite system. I have our board members screen applicants interview them provides scores to them, but I'm an ice filled eagle. I'm very proud to be a nice legal mister Morello and yet again Niceville High School as the number one volume of nominations from our congressional Office for service academies. so congratulations Eagles. For a long time when I was a student here, he was one of the substitute teachers who came around and plugged in for different teachers. when they had their days off and they're sick days and I was like the best stuff anybody could ever have. I was a sophomore and mister Morelle was exactly the same age that he is now is that time, but the two most important things that I have to do as the congressman for this district our vote on matters of. Peace and nominate young people for service academies. There's no member of Congress that represents more troops than I do. It's an obligation that I take very seriously and it's one that our staff focuses on a great deal and in in light of that we have a special operation in Northwest Florida to produce the very best our community has to go and serve in this academies and I'll tell you why it's so important when you hear. Military being deployed extended being asked to serve those aren't other folks in some far away land. That's us right here in Northwest Florida. The number one most deployed wing and the entire United States. Air Force is based in Okaloosa County in Northwest Florida at Robert Field. The folks that go deepest into the fight, bringing valid to the enemy are some of the folks at seven special forces group event so much part of our process. I am very thankful. Matter Of fact Just weeks ago, around 600 of our fellow Northwest Floridians were set down range from seventh group into Afghanistan and to know what that means these are folks who competed for the opportunity to go serve. They love our country so much they're so ready to deploy the capabilities that they have against the enemy. They're competing for the chance to go fight that inspires me every day, but it also is a message to those who will see nominations today. On on how critical and how grave and how significant service in our military is particularly in times of the world is a very dangerous place. we have two members of our screening board here today. Jim Back Doctor Patrick Cisco and what they'll tell you is that our office will not give a nomination to someone we do not believe has the character and the commitment and the citizenship and the patriotism. To one day be troops in battle that is the standard we use. we will not nominate you just because you have a spot. We will not nominate you because your parent or your principal or your superintendent really want you to have the position we look deep into the character of these applicants and what we have found in this particular pool is truly inspiring on the worst days in Washington on the most partisan or divisive moments where you think homemade is our country ever really gonna come together and meet the great challenges that we face. I pull out the applications of the Northwest, Florida students who have done everything right in their lives who saw the leadership positions who got the grades who studied extra hard for the standardized test who weren't behavior problems who were trusted by their fellow students to assume leadership and to lead teams to become captains and the examples for their fellow students and for our community and it is so such a unifying and inspiring feeling to see how qualified. Confident and dedicated and patriotic all of you are will receive nominations today and it gives me absolute assurance that the best days for our great country still lie ahead if he's the type of leaders that Northwest Florida sending to our military academies. So thank you all all of you who were applicants for your service and to your school to your community and for your willingness to serve the greatest nation on Earth. Congressional nomination is very important for you to know what that means it means that our office, our community hold you up as extend. It means that you made the right decisions. You weren't the ones in trouble with drugs and alcohol. You want the ones that fell victim to peer pressure. You are the ones who are the shining example of what good character looks like, but it also doesn't mean you're mean immediately admitted to West Point or the Air Force Academy of the mercenary Gathering Naval Academy. quite yet there are still. A few hurdles they're still additional competition ahead of you, but we look at it as a very big deal that our congressional office will have the chance for congressional nomination to hold you up as examples for our community and to put you forward before your fellow students as examples of great leadership and great character. last year, we had a bumper crop here we had almost half the folks we nominated. We're offering appointments in various military academies and so don't call like all. FSU or Northwest Florida State just yet and say, hey, I got my hat from Congressman Gates. I'm going know that there's still an additional work ahead also know that some of the students today will be receiving multiple nominations. some of you were so good. We wanted to give more than one academy a chance at recruiting your talents and your skills, but the hat you will receive today is at the institution where we have rated you the highest not necessarily your first choice because there were circumstances where our. Felt there might have been a better fit or there's different competition levels among the academies and that changes I can tell you last year. our most competitive academy was the Merchant Marine Academy Mister. I think you got a few eagles at the Merchant Marine Academy right now who are exceptional candidates. this year the most competitive academy we have is the Air Force Academy a lot of folks in the Air Force Academy. There's a special need for science mathematics and your resume, but for the Air Force Academy. so that was really where we had a great deal of focus this particular year so you will get the. The institution where we have given you the best chance to receive an offer of admission, but that does not necessarily mean that that is the only place that we nominate you to we. we've nominated some to to more than one academy. So now this is the exciting part. I will call up the students will be received nominations today and then we'll see how everyone's back so how do they know what you want to grab So I believe whenever he calls your name, I will leave you to your certificate. Alright and so this is in no particular with this is an alphabetical order. so don't think that like if you got called later earlier than that means anything regarding your raging or you're likely of admission and and and please feel free to be as loud as you like to be as we call the folks up first student receiving a nomination for Vice High School Corey Church for Captain Barbecue. National High School have a Jeep club that would be very helpful what I needed to be pulled out of the mud while back road occasion. I'm glad you found him become President of the Jeep Club from South Walton High School, Jacob Dalio medalist in track and field. From Niceville High School, Travis Del Rio captain of the. There's also the naval signs of work for the Office of Naval Naval Research next from Niceville High School. Jacob Dunn. Horse soccer I know Jacob is the keeper on the soccer team because Jacob has a number of saves against my son for chocolate High School who's also here. So thanks for getting all those saves against next is William Hoffman. Particularly compelling regarding your character and integrity and glad you had a chance to do that from Walton High School Mikaela Hicks. Youth Leadership Award from Niceville High School Brockway Pearson Projects already in politics there, Brock and we need to go ahead and get out. Of the elected to Congress, but maybe brought to the next. Demonstrate so far from the University of West Florida already enrolled there. Cameron Osborne Cameron Connect as well. we also have some Marion Military Institute Hunter Pruitt. This is all a little anti-climatic for hundred. We actually submitted our nominations yesterday. hundred was such a competitive applicant. he already knows he has been given an opportunity to go and serve the less point so congratulations. 20 - four hours old West Point Snatch already wanted to give you that offer of admission so congratulations. so hopefully we got many more coming for Northwest Florida Common, My first job was also a grocery store. We both back groceries for a living. so I think that really is the ultimate side of the potential greatness. Get that job done done well, our next applicant from Northwest Florida State College High Victoria Salvador. Congratulations the next room, Marian Military Institute, Brian Son. Also plays the saxophone well rounded young man and everybody. I'm sure they'll let you do that. It's a military academy sounds like just the type of bonding experience. we also have from High School Shawn what's up? The window Symphonic congratulations Shauna, and there's someone who is not here today, but one of the most competitive applicants for any military academy during my entire time as a member of the United States, Congress is nice ego Victoria Sherwood. In the world or some other interview, but she she's gonna receive multiple nominations from our office Super awesome. I got a chance to talk to her on the phone earlier today and I promised her that all kind of great things about her in front of all the eagles. so make sure to congratulate Victoria versus yes. so everybody grab their bad guys. Get your dad What will do is Open those put your hats on regards with us your hair and then I'll take a group. photo together. I'll get in there probably by and we'll take a picture so open your back and find out. Alright three, this concludes the formal portion of our ceremony. Thank you again soon. Senate Chambers Mister Morelle Colonel the great folks in seventh group who helped us out with our obstacle course by the way we're totally doing that next year to continue to convince myself that I don't have to also do the opposite. It's great to go out there and get a chance to see the real heroes in action. God bless all of you. God bless our great country and thanks for supporting this fantastic album.