<p>Let me preface this by saying the answer to this question in no way affects my decision to attend USNA. I have been given appointment for the class of 2014 and could not be happier.</p>
<p>I want to know when the exact times mids are given summer vacation, and on average for how long?
I currently do a lot of summer camp and HOBY volunteering which I would like to continue in the future, but have to know what the dates for summer vacation are.</p>
<p>Summer leave starts generally after graduation (end of May) and the brigade reforms after plebe summer (mid August), but I would not count on being able to schedule your own summer. Mids are assigned to blocks of summer training that often prevent them from participating in anything outside of the academy. The luckiest ones may get as much as 6 weeks at home during a summer, but that is not guaranteed. Most are happy if they get 3 weeks off at one time. The scheduling is not up to the desires of the mid, but the needs of the Navy. You will hear that phrase often.</p>
<p>Understand that the summer is when mids are able to experience “life in the fleet”. They spend weeks aboard surface ships, with the Marines, on subs, and with aviation squadrons. There are also leadership opportunities available on the Yard: plebe summer detailer, summer seminar squad leader, STEM camp instructor…the list goes on…There may also be a need to attend summer school.</p>
<p>Sorry to sound negative, but the chance of you having a specific block of time off is pretty remote.</p>
<p>And since your ‘free’ time is much more restricted and, hence, more valuable, you will probably find that your priorities change.</p>
<p>As Beachmom said, it’s summer LEAVE. Start learning the lingo. ;)</p>
<p>You are not guaranteed a specific slot, or any leave at all, for that matter. Welcome to the wonderful world of the military! :D</p>
<p>Thanks, still in the process of assimilating into usna-speak. </p>
<p>On a second note is there any word whether USNA will adopt the new Navy Working Uniform (the blue/gray camouflage pattern) that are now standard issue. I really hope they don’t, as the traditional uniform looks way better in my opinion.</p>
<p>Traditional (look good)
<a href=“http://ysfine.com/wdc/usna14.jpg[/url]”>http://ysfine.com/wdc/usna14.jpg</a></p>
<p>New
[Navy</a> Working Uniform Pictures](<a href=“new-navy-uniform.com - This website is for sale! - new navy uniform Resources and Information.”>new-navy-uniform.com - This website is for sale! - new navy uniform Resources and Information.)</p>
<p>Just so you know, those are Officer summer whites there that you’re comparing to the new replacement for the blue utilities. In short, you will not be wearing those at the Academy to the best of my knowledge. The whites are not a working uniform, the blue digis are. I was NROTC though, so I’d wait for an Academy guy to weigh in.</p>
<p>Summer cruise, maybe, but I’m not for certain.</p>
<p>Congrats on your appointment, matthewcod!</p>
<p>Classes of 2012 and 2013 were issued the older Navy camouflage utilities, not the blue digis. Don’t know about 2014. I do know that you will be issued many different uniforms, and the Plebe Summer cadre will make sure that you learn how to properly wear them all!</p>
<p>Son#2 will be doing Plebe Detail as Cadre for second set (second half). He told me this weekend that he and the other detailers were going to be issued blue digis because the incoming class of 2014 was going to be issued them. </p>
<p>He was not happy about it because a) they have to pay for them, and b) since he is probably going USMC after graduation, they will not be a part of his required uniforms after graduation. Of course, neither will most of the rest of his unis…:)</p>
<p>Snipes are not too thrilled with them either, Too much hanging off the uniform that can be caught in machinery.</p>
<p>USNA84, my Mid’s working 2nd session plebe summer, too, also hopes to go USMC, and is equally frosted about the expense of the blue cami’s. And because he’s freakishly tall, he doubts he can give/sell them to anyone else. Such is life, I guess. He’ll do what it takes to max that OOM.</p>
<p>0urs is walking around in one of those green jumpsuit things these days… says they are like wearing PJ’s… well, almost!</p>
<p>Matthewcod…back to your question on “vacation”. Also recall that you’re not only a student, but an employee of the Navy, so they own you 24/7/365. Your employer will have plans for you for the vast majority of the weeks in the year…some type of training somewhere…be it academic, physical, military. So, plan on military and/or academic training in the summers. What will your summer look like? Depends on the year, as well as the needs of the Navy. Plebe year: what summer? You report I-Day, and you’re there until Thanksgiving, or maybe even Christmas if it’s too far to travel home for Thanksgiving (or, if you’re in a sport that will need you to stay through a holiday leave). Youngster year: You’ll be training for at least 5-6 weeks (depending on your summer cruise training block schedule, and, again, on your sport). You <em>might</em> have off to as much as 9 weeks (ours did as a 3/C Youngster), but it can be as little as a week, or even days. Second Class year: About like Youngster year, but that can change. Firstie Year: probably less leave time. Speciality cruise will command a full 3-4 weeks and a leadership cruise will take in another 3-4 weeks. Ours is a fall varsity athlete, as well. He <em>may</em> be home for a week to 10 days. Most likely, 4-5 days and just before Reform in August (when the Brigade comes back to rejoin the Plebes just before the Academic Year (AC Year) gets started. We will not have seen him since Christmas leave expired. (he’s traveling exotic for spring break leave). But, that’s training for us for when he’s in the Fleet… Don’t give up the hope of doing some volunteering, but don’t make any solid plans just yet. Your life is not your own once your cross the threshold and take the Oath…</p>
<p>jm - thanks for getting us back “on topic”. The guideline for Summer leave is that USNA tries to give each Mid at least a month of leave. That month may come all at once, or be broken up into smaller chunks. It all depends on a number of factors like cruises, classes and other voluntary training programs. You can’t really count on a “set” block of time off is the main point.</p>
<p>“Pray for leave, for the good of the Service, as much and as oft as may be…” - from Laws of the Navy, a poem you’ll be really familiar with after next summer… :)</p>
![http://ysfine.com/wdc/usna14.jpg[/url]](http://ysfine.com/wdc/usna14.jpg%5B/url%5D){kind=link}
