<p>Okay, the plebe day is 18 hours long. We get up an PT in the morning, then eat breakfast, then more PT and drill and officer training, uniform stuff. If it's anything like NASS there are also motivational and informational seminars and stuff.</p>
<p>So what else is there, for 7 WEEKS, before the academic year starts. That can't be all we do everyday, can it?</p>
<p>All midshipmen begin the four-year program with Plebe Summer, a period designed to turn civilians into midshipmen. Plebe Summer is no gentle easing into the military routine. Soon after entering the gate on Induction Day, you are put into uniform and taught how to salute by the first class midshipmen who lead the plebe indoctrination program. For the next seven weeks, you start your days at dawn with an hour of rigorous exercise and end them long after sunset, wondering how you will make it through the next day. Forget television, leisure time or movies. You will have barely enough hours in the day to finish your assigned plebe tasks!</p>
<p>The frantic, exhausting pace of Plebe Summer leads you somewhere. It gets you ready for your responsibilities when the brigade returns from summer training and the academic year begins. The summer also builds the foundation for the tangible and intangible qualities that make an outstanding naval officer. You learn self-discipline. You learn to organize your time and decide which things are most important. You reach top physical condition. You develop your ability to think clearly under stress and to react quickly when the unexpected comes your way. Any officer who has stood the watch on the bridge of a ship in a storm or landed a jet on the deck of an aircraft carrier at night can tell you the importance of these qualities.</p>
<p>Plebe Summer introduces you to the basic how-to's of the Navy as well. Aboard Naval Academy sailboats, you learn to respect the power of wind and current. You learn the basics of seamanship, navigation and boat handling. On the weapons range, you learn how to fire small arms safely and accurately. You also learn why we have high standards of honor, character and conduct. And, you begin to develop your own ideas about leadership and the techniques that will make you an effective leader.</p>
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[quote]
Okay, the plebe day is 18 hours long. We get up an PT in the morning, then eat breakfast, then more PT and drill and officer training, uniform stuff. If it's anything like NASS there are also motivational and informational seminars and stuff. So what else is there, for 7 WEEKS, before the academic year starts. That can't be all we do everyday, can it?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I have never -- in the past 26 years -- heard anyone say he/she didn't have enough to do during Plebe Summer. You learn to sail, to shoot a pistol, to fight fires, to swim (or swim better), to march.</p>
<p>You learn about naval history, the Honor Code, USNA history, the Yard, navy ships and aircraft, the Marine Corps. </p>
<p>You take validation tests, you memorize rates, you clean your room, you learn to fold clothes the right way, you deliver laundry, you get your hair cut, you learn how to stand watch and then stand watch.</p>
<p>You learn to pass food and eat (while answering rates) a certain way, you do sports every single day, you make inspriational sheet posters (or whatever they have these days), you wax your floor, you polish your rifle belt and scrub your belt. You get measured for all the uniforms you'll be wearing during ac year. </p>
<p>You run the O-course, the confidence course, and other events designed to build teamwork. You learn the names and hometowns of all your company-mates; you learn to tie ties really, really small. </p>
<p>You write letters home; make your scheduled calls home; write your alpha number on everything you own; memorize your chain of command, the Laws of the Navy; important places in the Yard.</p>
<p>Remember your question. If you're headed to USNA this year, check back around September and let us know if you were bored for literally 60 seconds during all of Plebe Summer.</p>
<p>this question is almost too funny really....</p>
<p>all i know is that the thorpedo was kept so busy he never had time to write more than 2 sentences home at any given time, barely fit in 3 phone calls- all under 3 minutes 58 seconds, and never, ever, got enough sleep.</p>
<p>Have no fear- the days will drag, and the summer will fly....
and inbetween, you will pray for a minute to yourself, for yourself....
and when it comes, it will be glorious!!! ;)</p>
<p>Thanks a lot. I think they build an aura of mystery and uncertainty around it so the certain things come off as more drastic (or cooler) than you could image; pleasant and unpleasant surprises and such.</p>
<p>I knew it would be extremeley tiring, hectic, and fulfilling, and now I know exactly WHAT it is that we'll be doing.</p>
<p>You hit it right on the head--so to speak.
Parents and alumni tend to over dramatize PS. Don't get me wrong, it was challenging. Very challenging. But, if you:
Are reasonably fit (Run! Exercise! Work out! ahead of time)
Are capable of following instructions (A bigger challenge for some people than y ou might think)
Can walk and chew gum at the same time (Again, a bigger challenge for some people than you might imagine)
Can prioritize somewhat (You can't get it all done) and, most importantly,
WANT TO GET THROUGH IT . . . you will ge through it.</p>
<p>I was the same as you. All I had heard were about the physical aspects of PS. Teh workouts, the sports, etc. Nobody talked about the training, the briefs, the validation exams, the issuance of books, the issuance of computer, etc. etc. etc.
If you want to get through this, you can. 1200 people a year do it.
On the other hand, if you ar eprone to homesickness, longing for girlfriends, lazy, disorganized, fat, out of shape, or otherwise not committed to getting through this, do everybody a favor and stay home.</p>
<p>PS is challenging but not impossible. I wouldn't go so far as to say it was fun, but certain parts of it were enjoyable, interesting, okay. It's just something you get through, then its over.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Don't get me wrong, it was challenging. Very challenging. But, if you:
Are reasonably fit (Run! Exercise! Work out! ahead of time)
Are capable of following instructions (A bigger challenge for some people than y ou might think)
Can walk and chew gum at the same time (Again, a bigger challenge for some people than you might imagine)
Can prioritize somewhat (You can't get it all done) and, most importantly,
WANT TO GET THROUGH IT . . . you will ge through it.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>And there endeth the discussion...</p>
<p>Alright, here's some of what we did. </p>
<p>Validation exams
Sailing: I think we had 6 or 7 of those that are about 3-4 hours long
Swimming: 7 lessons
You do shoot pistol and rifle, but it is only one day
O-Course
E-Course
"Tarzan Assault Course" - which is a ropes course that you are harnessed into
MPT - basically the hey you guys screwed up so lets work out
We had an Orioles game
trip to see Fort McHenry
PFOREX - Plebe Forces Excersize its a culminating event of the summer
Leadership Classes - 7</p>
<p>there is a lot of down time, but don't think that that is easy time, there are inspection, rack races, more inspection, uniform fittings, uniform issue, MPT, MPT, and more MPT.</p>
<p>
[quote]
You do shoot pistol and rifle, but it is only one day
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</p>
<p>Are you SERIOUS? :eek:</p>
<p>Sheesh! In my day it was a WEEK! :mad:</p>
<p>Guess you need the time for all that new sensitivity crap they "teach" you. :(</p>
<p>Sheesh! In my day it was a WEEK! </p>
<p>Were you that bad a shooter??:D</p>
<p>Nah. They just actually let us SHOOT. ;)</p>
<p>All awesome.</p>
<p>Does anyone know if there are people "scouting" the Plebes during our time on the range for the Combat Firearms Team/ Pistol Team? I've placed in the state and the nation for .38 and 9mm pistol marksmanship and would be interested in going out for the team.</p>
<p>No.</p>
<p>All you get at the range is your qualification....that is your page 13 service record signed by the OIC of Weapons detail.</p>
<p>CAT is a seperate process and the team is picked by the current CAT members. There is usually a tryout and interview for the team. It's competitive.</p>
<p>Someone said that weapons training was curtailed because ammunition is expensive and troops in combat need it. Additionally, protramid West was cancelled this year.</p>
<p>Didn't the film Annapolis do a real good job portraying the plebe summer?</p>
<p>Lol. I'm an idiot bluedevil: I still haven't seen that movie.</p>
<p>There's a horrible thing during plebe summer called "grey space," because on the plan of the day, any time without a specific activity is colored grey and that's when the cadre can exercise a little creativity in what to do with you. It may take the form of learning to shine shoes, memorizing specs out of SHIPS AND AIRCRAFTS, rack races, uniform races, or simply standing next to the damn wall. The last one is the worst one. Sometimes it will be bearing contests (simply...standing. Without any expression. For forever. That's the entire purpose of the exercise), or if you were in "Hell Hotel," you might be at nose-knees-and-toes, which is the worst position known to man. As crazy as it is to believe, you WILL NOT have 60 seconds to yourself until personal time.</p>
<p>The upside? It gets better throughout the summer. By the end of the summer, there were times when the cadre might say, "All right, first squad needs to have whites ironed in twenty minutes. Go in that room and get it done," and you will have a chance to actually speak to your classmates and sit on the desk...something that approaches normal.</p>
<p>The Movie annapolis was horrible. I counted over 100 technical errors.</p>
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<p>navy2010, Why is a legitimate question by a concerned plebe-to-be "almost too funny" to you? Perhaps if we weren't bothered with these pesky questions on this forum, we would have more time to discuss our merlot and chocolate consumption?</p>