Blake Locke, son of Lisa Locke, graduates from Hardin County High School on May 22 has received an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy. While many other college bound kids are working and on vacation Blake will attend Basic Cadet Training on 25 June.
This is a well-deserved honor for this young man. Blake set his mind as a young boy that he was going to become a pilot in the Air Force and he spent his years striving for that goal. He was a straight A student all through school, a gifted athlete, and active in community service. In 2014 he was 1 of 8 students selected by the American Legion to attend Boy’s State, learning the workings of state government.
To receive this admission to the Academy Blake had to be accepted by the Academy and receive a nomination from a Congressman or Senator. Therefore Blake had to go through a three step process which he started in April of 2014. The first one is to fill out the application and get recommendations from teachers and local officials to the Academy. During this time he had to fill out an application and get letters of recommendations sent to the Tennessee State Senators and Congressman. He then went through an interview process with each one traveling to Jackson twice and Franklin once. He received a nomination from Congressman Blackburn to the Academy. Finally he had to go through an interview process with an Air Force Liaison Officer in Jackson. After all of these grueling tasks he was given a nomination in March 2015 on the condition that a medical waiver would be granted. So he waited another two weeks before finally getting the waiver and becoming one step closer to his life long dream of becoming an Air Force Fighter Pilot.
Most of the Academy is paid for however there are a few things a Cadet has to furnish such as his own spending money and paying for traveling expenses therefore on May 12, 20915 at the Hardin County Republican Women’s Club meeting American Legion Post 28 and Post 98, along with Hardin Republican Women’s Club gave Blake money to help pay for his plane ticket to the Academy.
Pictured are from left to right Larry Broyles, Post 98, Dorothy Qualls, Republican Women, Blake Locke, Charles Hovey, Post 28, and Sherri Kouw-McCaughan Republican Women
