Letter from CAPT Peg Klein

Colleges and Universities A-Z Naval Academy - Annapolis
1

<p>In case you didn't see this letter.. thought I would share it.. Found it on USNA homepage dated July 2nd....</p>

<p>Dear Parents of the Class of 2011,</p>

<p>Congratulations, your Plebes have survived their first week of Plebe Summer! In the first three days alone, your plebe was issued uniforms and a rifle to march with (it cannot be used to shoot!), learned the basics of military drill and marching, took academic placement exams, and was introduced to the plebe summer Physical Education Program (PEP). Among the major events of the first week: </p>

<p>On Induction Day, the plebes received their first set of uniforms, as well as over $1500 worth of books, linens, and uniform items. In their few moments of free time, the plebes have had quite a task learning how to properly “stow” (Navy jargon for “arrange”) all their new gear and clean their room. </p>

<p>Five days a week, following reveille at 0530, plebes run to Farragut Field for their Physical Education Program. Friday morning, they took the Initial Strength Test to evaluate their physical capabilities and place them in running groups for the rest of the summer. The test consisted of two minutes of push-ups, two minutes of sit-ups, and a timed one mile run. </p>

<p>In professional training, the class of 2011 has attended its first lesson covering the Naval Academy Honor Concept, which states, “Midshipmen are persons of integrity: They stand for that which is right. They do not lie, cheat, or steal.” The lesson also stressed moral character, a selfless sense of duty, and leadership by example. </p>

<p>Plebes receive a monthly discretionary stipend. Their August 1st stipend will be $50; starting September 1st, their stipend will be $100 each month with a pay increase each year. 3/C Midshipmen receive $200 each month, 2/C Midshipmen receive $300, and 1/C Midshipmen receive approximately $500 each month. If they took out the Navy Federal Credit Union Entrance Fee Loan for $2500, their monthly discretionary stipend is cut in half.</p>

<p>This week, the plebes will recognize the 4th of July with a Naval History Brief to learn the rich and distinguished heritage they have joined. They will also watch the movie “Midway” about the famous WWII Naval Battle that turned the tide in the Pacific. The first of several guest speakers, Admiral Charles Larson, will speak to the plebes about the Navy’s core values: honor, courage, and commitment. The Plebes will start afternoon Sports Period and will have more opportunities to interact with their classmates and have a little fun. They are off to a great start. If you haven’t been following the weather, it has been unseasonably cool this week. Heat and humidity are forecast to return on the 4th!</p>

<pre><code> Go Navy,

CAPT Peg Klein, USN
Commandant of Midshipmen
</code></pre>

2

<p>
[quote]
it cannot be used to shoot!

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Heaven forbid! :rolleyes:</p>

<p>
[quote]
and place them in running groups for the rest of the summer

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Could someone in the know please provide a description of how this works, exactly?</p>

3

<p>Z ... we're not sure yet. But got a letter from the offsprung plebe and he said he was IDed for the "fastest" group of 7. We don't know if this is for the class or the company or the platoon or the squad or just his closest 6 friends and him. Whatever, he seemed pleased. </p>

<p>In essence I think what it all means is that they put them into groups by running times so that everyone is pushed to do their best regardless of current capacity. Details at 6 ... or at least more info post-Sunday's inaugural call, we're hoping.</p>

<p>And btw ... we were EXTREMELY IMPRESSED with 'Dant Klein. She is one sharp officer and leader. If this Navy gig doesn't work out for her, she's got a future in academe, business, or whatever she'd choose to do. As for me, as long as our plebe never meets her :eek:, she's tops in my book. Really. One gets the distinct impression that she WILL be in charge and that she's both tough and fair. And she has a wonderful sense of humor. Here's that initial impressions ring true.</p>

4

<p>Running groups are split up amongst the 4/C regiment and are based off the 1-mile initial strength test (IST) time. It is done so that everyone can benefit from the workout.</p>

5

<p>Interesting. I reckon that reduces the dropouts on runs. Sounds like a good idea.</p>

<p>Has it been shown to be effective?</p>

6

<p>I suspect they're taking lessons from most scholastic and collegiate track outtings. Put the fast guys with the faster guys and one tend to get collectively faster times. Put the not so fast guys with the not so fast but a little fastern the not so fast guys and you get a group of not so fast but getting faster guys. Got that?</p>

<p>It's called heats by times.</p>

7

<p>Things must have changed, Zap. I guess they now value physical conditioning over teamwork. "In my day" and also my son's, motivating and helping "tail-end Charlie" was as important as finishing oneself. It was a huge part of molding the squad/platoon.</p>

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<p>Time marches on. No doubt the USNA leaders have learned they can have both physical fitness and team building.</p>

9

<p>^^^^Perhaps. I do know Adm Rempt was a huge proponent of physical fitness, maybe at the expense of other things. Time will tell.</p>

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<p>^^^^ Could it be because there have been a large number of Mids who have had a difficult time passing the PRT?</p>

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<p>You may have a point but if they can pass the CFA, they can pass the PRT. Mids are flunking the PRT because they don't establish personal workout regimes after plebe summer. I feel that the Academy should hold the mids personally accountable to pass and, if that doesn't work, place them on subsquads.</p>

12

<p>That also is probably true although for mine he did not beleive that PEP during Plebe Summer did him justice.</p>

<p>He passed in his first PRT Plebe year in October after he established his own workouts and his PRT's have continued to improve. The first mock PRT done within the first week of Plebe Summer he passed, so we knew he was in good shape going into Plebe Summer. The PRT taken at the end of Plebe Summer - baseline going forward into the academic year - he failed, much to our and his surprise – (that became my “next” worry as a Plebe Parent – was I going to get him home because he failed his PRT’s!) </p>

<p>He personally thought the methods used and repetitions done during PEP did not help in preparing for the PRT (He also is a XC runner - so it was not the running that got him, but the crunches :) )</p>

<p>You are correct - time will tell.</p>

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<p>What kills our mid is not the pushups or the crunches, but the run. He has an excellent cardio vascular system (swimmer, nationally ranked 200 Meter Butterfly at one point) and could swim it in a snap if allowed, but being short the run has always been difficult. He has always passed, but with only 10-15 seconds cushion and it is always a cause of much worry and tension working up to the PRT. Why do girls get so much more time for the run? If it is short stature, well, maybe they should take out the gender part and do it by leg length! :)</p>

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<p>momof1, this may be something your son has already done/looked into, but I would have someone that knows what they are doing take a look at his stride and how he runs, if he has the cardio side built up, and obviously must have the muscles if he's a swimmer, it may be more about the mechanics of his stride. My oldest son is a member of 2011 plebe class and ran cross country and track (the mile) with competitive times for the size of high school he attended, his best time for the mile was in the low 5's. He is about 5'11" tall, closing in on 6' as he likes to say. His little brother joined cross country this past year and ran spring track as well as a 7th grader on the middle school team, he's about 5'-4". A few races into this past track season he was running a 5-40 mile and closing in on big brother and the varsity squad. The last varsity runner they had that made it to states was pretty small too, so it can be done if the body is working as it should. As I said this all may be old news to your son, but I wanted to throw it out there in the event he hasn't gone down that path. Take care and good luck to him.</p>

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<p>Thank you! Yes, he has had his stride looked at and that really helped. He also was "prescribed" a certain type of shoe that would help with rolling, etc. Yeah, he is really fun to watch swim, but running, not so much! ;)</p>

<p>He also saw that this was a weakness and so has done intramural cross-country to help with it. I thought that was pretty gutsy, since I would be more likely to do a sport that I was good at! </p>

<p>Anyway, thanks for the advice! I think he is just looking forward to being in the fleet so he can do the swim. Good luck to your mid, too!</p>

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<p>This is the latest letter from Capt Peg Klein dated July 10</p>

<p><a href="http://www.usna.edu/PlebeSummer/Dant%20ltr%2010Jul07.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.usna.edu/PlebeSummer/Dant%20ltr%2010Jul07.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>I was unable to cut and paste</p>

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<p>Thanks M2L.</p>

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<p>Dear Parents of the Class of 2011,</p>

<p>It has been a quick week, between the July 4th celebration, lectures, sports tryouts, music auditions, and professional training, week two of Plebe Summer has flown! Here are a few highlights of the activities this past week and a look at what’s in store this coming week:
[ul]
[<em>] The plebes rang in Independence Day with a barbeque on Rip Miller Field (away from stern cadre) followed by a spectacular fireworks display.
[</em>] Thursday, July 5th, Admiral Charles R. Larson, USN (Ret.) presided over the first in a series of character development lectures, speaking about the Navy’s core values of honor, courage, and commitment. The Officer Development courses continued, focusing on the bond of trust and mutual loyalty between officers and enlisted personnel.
[<em>] The Physical Education Program (PEP) got into full swing. The plebes wake up with repetitions of push-ups, sit-ups, lunges, and squats. In the afternoon, varsity sports teams held a week of try-outs. Company intramurals start competing this week.
[</em>] Interested Plebes auditioned for the Catholic and Protestant choirs and the Drum & Bugle Corps.
[<em>] Two new uniforms were issued this week, camouflage utilities and the Navy’s classic summer whites. The Plebes were trained on how to properly “stow” all their new uniforms and prepare for room inspections. One Plebe told me today that his favorite activity so far was running the endurance course in his “cammies!”
[</em>] All Plebes were provided the opportunity to call home – their first since I-Day. There were mixed reactions to the phone calls, some were homesick and some rejuvenated. They’ll call home again on July 22nd.
[<em>] The companies will start to go to the rifle and pistol range to qualify using the M-16 assault rifle and M-9 Berretta pistol under the watchful eye of trained professionals.
[</em>] The first trips to the Damage Control Trainer in Baltimore to get some “hands-on” training in shipboard damage control procedures.[/ul]
First Formal Parade is on Friday 13 July at 0930 on Worden Field. The Plebes are looking better each day as they practice on the drill field. Lastly, on a sad note, you may have heard that a midshipman tried to injure himself this past weekend. I cannot share any of the details about the midshipman due to privacy concerns, but I was very proud of the faculty and staff’s response in this emergency. They were professional and efficient and talked to Plebes over the weekend about any concerns they might have. The midshipman is doing well. Have a great week.</p>

<p>Go Navy!</p>

<p>CAPT Peg Klein
Commandant of Midshipmen</p>

19

<p>
[quote]
Lastly, on a sad note, you may have heard that a midshipman tried to injure himself this past weekend

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Holy smokes. Since she states midshipman I'm assuming this was not a plebe? Glad to hear the person is okay physically, but I hope they get the help they need.</p>

20

<p>^^^^^
At USNA, plebes are midshipmen. Obviously, this plebe needs some helps as KP2001 states. This incident reminds me of the movie Full Metal Jacket.</p>