Two region students headed to military academies

U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar has nominated candidates for the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland; U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York; U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colorado; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York.

The nominees were selected by Lugar's Academy Merit Selection Committees, which he has used for the nominating process each year that he has been a senator. The nonpartisan boards meet each November and December in Indianapolis to review applicants. For the 9th year, Lugar hosted Dick Lugar Academy Days, in Fort Wayne, New Albany and Indianapolis, for high school students interested in learning more about military service.

The nominees now await admission to their respective academies for the class of 2015, entering in July 2011.

"It is exciting to nominate these outstanding young Hoosiers to our nation's service academies," said Lugar, who volunteered for the Navy after completing his Rhodes Scholarship studies at Oxford University in England. Lugar served from 1957-60 as an intelligence briefer for Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Arleigh Burke. "I also am grateful to the selection committees for their service."

From Lake County, Tetsuo Jordan Toyama, of Munster High School/Marion Military Institute, is nominated to the U.S. Air Force Academy and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy

From Porter County, Jeanne Marie Nolan, of Valparaiso High School, is nominated to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point