C/CPT Joseph Santos with his parents.
TINIAN — Tinian High School Senior Cadet C/CPT Joseph Santos applied to the U.S. Air Force Academy. He recently received a letter of acceptance into the academy and will soon head out this upcoming summer.
C/CPT Joseph Santos has reached an important milestone in his career, an opportunity that only a handful are given every year. But he is no ordinary student, he has also played a big role in his community and school which is evident in his involvement with 4H, the National Honor Society, JROTC, and as vice president of the Tinian Student Government. Many of his peers and mentors are proud of him, and wish him the best of luck for this new chapter in his life, which will allow him to grow and give way to more opportunities.
Asked how JROTC has benefited him during his journey, he responded, “The foundation of the Air Force Academy is built upon developing the nation and the branch’s future leaders and my school’s JROTC program has been equally beneficial in shaping me into an effective leader and strengthening my devotion for service. Through each lesson, leadership role, and program activity, I became more prepared to lead as an AFA cadet. I benefited greatly from leading and meticulously planning events for the battalion, school, and community that allowed me to grow and instill the values I see as most important for my subordinates, peers, and community members. Moreover, being a part of JCLC, the Raiders Team, and the Drill Team has shown me the indelible importance of teamwork in tackling issues or achieving profound goals. The JROTC program’s focus on leadership, citizenship, and character development has made a lasting impact on my journey toward and within USAFA.”
We then asked questions for those who may want to pursue a similar path, specifically about the challenges during the application process.
“Aside from meeting the academic and physical qualifications, I did face challenges in finalizing certain parts of the application,” he said. “For instance, in the process of becoming medically cleared, I was scheduled for three different appointments. However, the only available facilities for them were located in Saipan, which meant incurring additional travel expenses and having to communicate by email or call. Additionally, having any history of illness, injury, or allergy can create another major hurdle in the process. In my case, it meant traveling over 6,000 miles to be further cleared medically.”
“Another challenge was seeking assistance through the process. There weren’t many people on my island who were familiar with the application process. Therefore, I had to search online and read through the experiences of other candidates to answer most of the questions I had,” said C/CPT Santos.
We asked what advice he would give to future cadets who may want to apply to the USAFA. He said, “One important piece of advice I’d give to those aspiring to enroll in a service academy is to start early. Aside from completing your application promptly, start early in areas that will make you more qualified and prepared as a candidate. Consider enrolling in Advanced Placement classes as early as your Sophomore year and advanced STEM courses to attain the work ethic and academic standards to excel in the academy’s rigorous curriculum, and study hard to score high on the SAT. Furthermore, commit to training your strength and endurance long-term, especially in the official test’s exercises, to score well on the Candidate Fitness Assessment. Aside from those qualifications, I’d also strongly suggest taking on leadership roles that will help you develop the necessary skills and mindset to succeed as a leader.”
He added, “The most crucial advice that helped me get through this process was to always believe in yourself. Applying to a service academy was certainly a daunting task and more often than not, I found myself wondering if I was fit for such an institution or if my application stood out from the other thousands of applicants. Despite the mental barriers, having faith in my abilities, experience, and my potential to flourish as an impactful leader motivated me to see my goal out to the end.”
Overall, C/CPT Joseph Santos has gotten the opportunity of a lifetime which is something to be proud of. He has shown that he is deserving of this opportunity thanks to his contributions to his community and school. We wish him the best of luck on his new journey outside the CNMI!
