Photo provided.
Photo provided.

Submitted by Stephanie Walker, Goshen High School Principal.

Congratulations are in order to 2019 graduate Ariya Bradley, GHS class of 2018, who has accepted an appointment to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point. Ari (as he his known to his classmates and teachers) also received an appointment to attend the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD and had to decline that appointment in order to join the United States Corps of Cadets (the official designation of the military unit to which cadets are assigned at West Point). He reports for Cadet Basic Training on “R-Day” (Reception Day for new Cadets) on June 29, 2020 to officially swear-in as a member of the class of 2024.

Ari had applied to both USMA and USNA last year, but was unsuccessful because of a delay in being cleared of asthma by the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board (DoDMERB). When he was finally cleared last April, the starting class at both academies had already been selected. Though he was placed on a waiting list at USNA, no openings became available prior to the beginning of training. However, the Directorate of Admissions at USNA called Ari and asked him to re-apply for the following year.

Ari re-applied to both USMA and USNA. In addition, he enrolled in Army ROTC (Reserve Officers Training Corps) at Taylor University in Indiana. He also had to re-start the entire admissions process, to include interviewing again for a Congressional nomination (a requirement for all Academy applicants). The interviewing committee at the office of Congressman Brad Wenstrup recalled Ari’s interview from the previous year and readily granted him another interview to compete for two additional nominations. Meanwhile, Ari set about gathering the requisite official academic and medical records, plus endorsements from his college professors and ROTC counsellor. Ari also won appointments to both USNA and USMA from Congressman Wenstrup.

In late January of this year, Ari received an email from the Superintendent of USNA informing him that he would receive an appointment to join the Brigade of Midshipmen. Sure enough, the official appointment was delivered to Ari by the end of January. In addition, Ari received a call from Congressman Wenstrup in early February (a call which Ari missed due to his class schedule). Congressman Wenstrup left a voice message informing Ari that he would be receiving an appointment to USMA. That appointment was delivered later in February. At a reception held this February in Cincinnati, Ari was informed by West Point’s Brigade Tactical Officer (COL Kyle Marsh) that this year’s application process was the most competitive in Academy history, with over 15,000 applicants for 1200 spots.

Ari now had a decision to make, and ultimately selected USMA because of the affinity he had acquired for the US Army through his ROTC training. He accepted the appointment to USMA in early April. Always one to hedge his bet, he waited for another two weeks before officially declining the appointment to USNA.

Ari is looking forward to the trip to West Point, NY on the Hudson River this coming June. He continues to attend virtual classes at Taylor University. In addition, he regularly engages in physical training to ensure he is prepared for the rigors of Cadet Basic Training.

We are very proud of this Goshen graduate!!!