Oliver Schaefer, son of Mark and Kristi Schaefer of Minot, has been nominated by U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-ND, to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Schaefer, who attends Des Lacs Burlington High School, competes in track and field and cross country. He volunteers for the Serenity Therapeutic Equine Program and enjoys reading, military history and board games.

Cramer also nominated Cormac Dunnick of Grand Forks to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York.

Cramer, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, announced his nominees to the U.S. service academies Friday, Dec. 26, according to a news release.

“One of the great joys of serving North Dakota in Congress is nominating some of our best young patriots for appointments to our service academies,” Cramer said. “After visiting with Cormac and Oliver, I am honored and grateful they are willing to answer the call to serve. They will be great ambassadors of our state.”

North Dakota students interested in pursuing an appointment to a U.S. service academy can contact Cramer’s military academy coordinator in Grand Forks at 205-6576.