By PEGGY KING
CORDELE — Only a few of those who apply are offered an appointment to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Crisp County High School’s Robert Mcgovern Brubaker is one of those.
Brubaker was notified last Friday that he is eligible to be sworn in on July 1 as a member of the class of 2014.
“It’s hard to describe the feeling I had,” Brubaker says, when he received the packet of information from the Academy. “I’ve been working almost two years to reach this goal. It really felt good.”
Likewise, his mother, Janet Brubaker says, “I couldn’t be happier. He’s worked hard to get to this point, and I’m extremely proud of him.” She’ll deal later with the reality that her eldest child will be leaving home, she laughs.
“It’s a good feeling to know that he’ll be set for life when he graduates from the Naval Academy,” she adds.
Brubaker who graduates from Crisp County High in May has known exactly what he wanted to do with his life for several years. At the Naval Academy, he will be pursuing a degree in aerospace engineering with plans to become a naval pilot.
He realizes the path he has chosen will not be easy, but that does not deter him. Because of his background in karate, discipline has been a big part of his life since he was six years old, Brubaker says.
He participated in the Academy’s week-long summer seminar last year and came home even more determined than ever to seek an appointment there.
Second District Congressman Sanford Bishop submitted the necessary congressional appointment for Brubaker this past December. A few weeks ago, he was notified that he had qualified for an appointment “medically, scholastically and physically.”
Of an initial 15,000 applicants to the Academy, only 1200 are accepted, so Brubaker feels privileged to be one of those.
Currently, he is completing all the necessary paperwork so that he can formally accept his appointment. He then will report for boot camp in July, and classes will begin in mid-August.
The first few weeks, he explained, will be spent preparing for a military lifestyle.
In an interview last summer, Brubaker said the Naval Academy looks for students who are well-rounded. To prepare himself, he has been involved in a variety of school activities.
He is active in Key Club, DECA, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Beta Club which he serves as president. He also plays football and baseball and wrestles on his school’s wrestling team.
Outside of school, Brubaker is actively involved in his church, Christ Episcopal whose members have provided an incredible amount of support throughout the entire application process.
“I want to thank everyone at the church for their help and support.”
