Eighteen young men and women nominated by U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Ventura and Santa Barbara counties) have been accepted to U.S. military academies. They have until this summer to accept their appointments. Gallegly's military academy nomination board selected the nominees.

Air Force Academy applicants included the following:

Oak Park High School, Oak Park: Matthew Alexander, 17.

Westlake High School, Westlake Village: Casey Barrett, 17; Jeffery Valine, 17. Royal High School, Simi Valley: Dustin Patterson, 18; Jeremy Van Driessche, 18.

Naval Academy applicants included Adam Lotspike, 18, Westlake High School.

U.S. Military Academy at West Point applicants included the following:

La Reina High School, Thousand Oaks: Elizabeth Leire, 18.

Oak Park High School: Alexander Mills, 18.

Grace Brethren High School, Simi Valley: David Sprague, 17.

Merchant Marine Academy applicants included the following: Adolfo Camarillo High School, Camarillo: Randolph Mann, 17.

Thousand Oaks High School, Thousand Oaks: Brian Purcell, 17 and Scott Purcell, 17.

Academy Information Nights for 2007 appointments will be conducted in the fall. Anyone interested in pursuing a nomination for next year should call Deputy Director Steve Lavagnino at (805) 686-2525. Interested students may also wish to visit Gallegly's academy nominations web page at http:// www.house.gov/gallegly/ usmaz.htm, which includes links to the different academies.