Local teen receives appointment to USAF Academy

MERIDIAN, Miss. (WTOK) - Only 10% of applicants receive an appointment to the Air Force Academy. Less than 1300 cadets are accepted into the United States Air Force Academy each year. 19-year-old Carter Miller has been working for years to reach this goal.

Carter said he started having an interest in the Air Force Academy in middle school but got serious about it in his freshman year of high school. He said, “That’s when I knew that this is something I really wanted to do.”

It was not an easy path for him though. The Air Force Academy has a strenuous approval and application process that can take years to complete.

When asked about the application process Carter said “You have to be a very well-rounded individual. I mean academically, morally, and also physically. There’s a lot of moving parts to this application.”

But even after years of hard work, dedication, and perseverance Carter still hit roadblocks.

“So last year, during my senior year, I received an initial rejection,” remembered Carter “And then later they sent me another message saying they had to reevaluate my case. Now I’m at Marion Military Institute. So, they offered me this spot. I’m very happy that I did get to go there.”

Carter has excelled while enrolled at Marion Military Institute. He even achieved the role as a member of the prestigious Swamp Fox Special Operations Prep Team.

News 11 asked Carter how it felt getting the academy appointment after first being rejected.

He said “I was very surprised because, you know, I worked for it for a while and then I just had to change my whole course of action. I was preparing to go to Mississippi State University. I already went to orientation, signed up for all my classes. And they sent me a message like, “Hey, we’re sorry about this, but here’s an offer. I hope it’s not too late.” and I was like, oh, I’m taking it.”

Carter wants the youth of our area to see his story as an inspiration to never give up. He is proof that continuing to work towards your dreams is never a bad idea. Carter knows that if not for some very influential people in his life, he might not have made it as far as he has.

Carter stated “Mom and Dad, of course. It didn’t matter if I wanted to be a professional knitter. You know, they would have been there every step of the way. And also, my late Coach Hampton, he’s the one who got me into physical activity, really into the gym.”

After graduating from the Academy, Carter hopes to become a Combat Rescue Officer which is part of the USAF Special Warfare Operations.

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