The deadline for students to get an application to their congressional member for a recommendation for a spot in the service academies is less than two weeks away.

High school seniors have until Oct. 6 to apply for a recommendation to the military academies and the Merchant Marine Academy. The U.S. Air Force Academy tends to be a big target for students who applied in the past, said Deb Medenwaldt, the college counselor at Durango High School.

Last year, U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, nominated 22 students, handing out double and triple recommendations in certain cases. In the past three years, Tipton nominated four students from La Plata County.

In 2012, Durango candidates Colin Mummery and Brenna Kallaher were nominated by Tipton to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the Air Force Academy, respectively. Neither of them is attending an academy.

Last year, Austin Haire, from Ignacio High School, was nominated for the Merchant Marine Academy. Also in 2013, Jonathan C. Rudolph of Bayfield High School received a nomination to the Air Force Academy.“Realistically, if they haven’t been planning for that for the past two years, then they are really behind,” said Mendenwaldt.

She said interested students work with her and Kurt Zeiner, the American College Testing prep course instructor, on their applications. The process goes over how to approach a congressman for a letter of recommendation.

igheorghiu@durangoherald.com. Iulia Gheorghiu is a student at American University in Washington, D.C., and an intern for The Durango Herald.