Montana Senators Congratulate Two Students on West Point Appointment

U.S. Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines today congratulated Darby-native Miriam Smith and Whitefish High student Travis Catina on their appointments to the U.S. Military Academy.

Tester and Daines both nominated Smith and Catina and called to congratulate them earlier today.

“Duty, Honor, Country-that’s the West Point motto and those are the values that both Miriam and Travis have embodied through their commitment to academic and athletic excellence,” Tester said. “I am proud to call them Montanans and I know they will excel in the Academy and beyond.”

Miriam Smith: Smith’s family is currently stationed in Germany with the U. S. Army and is native of Darby. She is a senior at Stuttgart High School and is captain of her swim team and has set four high school swim records. She has served as a platoon leader and company executive officer for her Army Junior ROTC unit.

Travis Catina: Catina, a senior at Whitefish High School, is the senior class president, a member of the fly fishing club, Key Club, Little Guy Wrestling Coach and attended Boys State in 2016. Catina is also varsity wrestler and member of the football team. His father is a retired Master Sergeant in the U.S. Army Special Forces and his mother served as a colonel in the Army and retired after 26 years.

“An appointment to West Point is a prestigious honor that demonstrates their unwavering dedication to service and excellence in their high school careers,” Daines stated. “I’m thrilled to congratulate these two outstanding Montanans on the culmination of years of hard work.”

The United States Military Academy is located in West Point, New York.

Montanans interested in applying to the nation’s military academies can request nominations from Tester and Daines through their websites.