Lake County News - Thompson announces service academy appointments

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) on Monday announced seven appointments from California's Fifth Congressional District to the service academies. Congress has partnered with four of our five service academies (Air Force, Army, Navy and Merchant Marine) for more than 150 years to nominate candidates for admission.

The fifth service academy, the Coast Guard Academy, does not require a nomination.

"Appointing talented and bright young men and women to the service academies is one of the highest honors I have as an elected representative," said Thompson. "Our appointees are patriots. They will receive the finest education our country has to offer, they will learn leadership and command skills, and they will be taught the skills needed to become tomorrow's military leaders."

A panel selects the appointees to ensure they are selected on nothing other than merit. Less than 1/3 of the applicants who apply to our academies are admitted. It is very selective and those that are chosen are truly the elite.

This year's appointees include:

Air Force

• Nolan King, Napa. King is an AP scholar, Civil Air Patrol cadet, airman, USAF auxiliary, and Boys State nominee.
• Evan Richter, Santa Rosa. Richter is currently on a religious mission. He had previously been appointed to the Air Force and took religious leave. Richter had to reapply to return to the Air Force, and the Air Force offered him another appointment.

Army

• Adam Van Prooyen, Santa Rosa. Van Prooyen was offered two appointments – U.S. Air Force and WestPoint. He participates in the Model UN, is a Boy Scout, participated in the WestPoint Summer Experience, was on the Principal's Honor Roll from 2010-2013 and is an AP scholar. His grandfather served in the Army in Vietnam and his father served in Bosnia and Iraq after 9/11. Both his father and grandfather graduated from West Point.
• David Weinmann, Hercules. Weinmann is proficient in Spanish, he participated in summer camps at both West Point and the Naval Academy, and has received numerous athletic awards.

Navy

• Madeline Farr, Martinez. Farr is proficient in Spanish and Arabic, and plays water polo. Farr's grandfather is a retired chief from the Navy and her father served in the Marine Corp.
• Emiliano Tabarsi, Vallejo. Tabarsi is fluent in Farsi, received first academic honors for the last four years, was inducted into the National Honor Society for the last two years. Tabarsi served as varsity captain in the ROTC, and was junior class president.
• Rashad Brown, Vallejo. Brown is a scholar, avid sportsman, a member of JV/Varsity swimming, wrestling and football. He is a Rotary Advisor. He participated in a summer seminar at the Naval Academy, and is president of the Interact Club and was offered an appointment by Naval Academy Preparatory School.

Thompson represents California's Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.