Amherst Times

(L-R) Ray Gallagher, Jim Otwell, Mark Daigler, Darin Schulz, Bill Greeley, Heidi Reisman, Patrick Cunningham, Congressman Higgins, Jeffrey Miles, Tom Higgins, Dan Tauriello, and Geoff Szymanski

Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) named ten local residents to serve as members of his Service Academy Advisory Committee. Appointees met to interview students applying to a military academy and make recommendations to Congressman Higgins. Service academy appointments are made by the President of the United States based on congressional and/or military recommendations.

“It is an honor to have decorated, local military heroes willing to donate their time and expertise to review and recommend the next generation of American military leaders,” said Congressman Higgins.

Serving on the Congressman’s committee are: Dan Tauriello, a retired Colonel and Brigadier General with 34 years of service in the National Guard; Tom Higgins, a Korean War Veteran and retired Erie County Sheriff; Geoff Szymanski, a machinist in the Navy who served during the first Gulf War and a City of Lackawanna Councilmember; Darin Schulz, a Lieutenant with 7 years in the Navy who resides in Chautauqua County; Patrick Cunningham, a Colonel in the Navy who currently serves as Executive Director of the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park; Jim Otwell, a member of the Army who served in Iraq and a Buffalo firefighter; Heidi Reisman, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force Reserves; Mark Daigler, a Captain in the Marines; Ray Gallagher, a retired Army Medic; and Jeffrey Miles, a first Lieutenant in the Army National Guard and a history teacher at Performing Arts High School.

Eligible military academy applicants must be unmarried, United States citizens who will be at least 17 years old as of July 1st, but not have passed their 23rd birthday. Applications can be accessed online at the following websites: Air Force Academy www.usafa.edu; Military Academy at West Point www.usma.edu; Naval Academy www.usna.edu; and Merchant Marine Academy www.usmma.edu. For more information call Congressman Higgins Erie County office at 716-852-3501 or the Chautauqua Office at 716-484-0729 or visit the website at: http://higgins.house.gov/constituentservices.asp.