When Patrick Mishler was called down to the front office, he wondered what it could be about. As thoughts raced through his mind he walked into Chris Choat’s office and saw his parents. Congressmen Pete Sessions was on the phone and told Mishler that he got accepted into the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA).

Mishler Parents had known about his acceptance since the week before but wanted to let Sessions and Choat tell him that he got accepted into the school.

“For the past six or seven months, like everything that I have been trying to do is paying off, and what I worked for is finally happening,” Mishler said.

The United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) is a federal service academy that trains and educates students to respond to national emergencies in time of war and crises. After graduating, Merchant Marine Officers can choose to work five years in the United States Maritime Industry with eight years of service as an officer in any reserved unit of armed forces, or five years active duty in any of the nation’s armed forces.

“I want to succeed there, I just don’t want to go there and float by, as the years progress I want to have a leadership role, because after I do it I want to help other people and guide other people through it,” Mishler said.

During the application process for USSUMA, Mishler had to apply for a nomination from a congressmen. Fifty applicants. including Mishler, were interviewed by Pete Sessions. Only seven are appointed to the school.

Mishler’s two Sisters, Becca Mishler and Amanda Graves, and Brother In-law Holden Graves, were in the room while Sessions was on the phone.

“Growing up with Patrick at a young age, he is so cool and smart and awesome he had big goals and dreams,” Becca Mishler said.

Choat said he felt an immense amount of pride in the success that Mishler achieved.

“It is students like Patrick’s that gives us a reason to get up and come to school every day,” Choat said.