Broken Plebes

nodiva

5-Year Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2014
Messages
152
I am starting to see several pictures of wrapped arms, crutches etc. Is this normal less than 2 weeks into Plebe Summer? Looking for input from those of you lucky enough to live close enough to the Yard to be sponsors of current detailers!
 
Yes, it's normal. The days are full of organized PT and just plain activity, so there are sprained wrists and ankles and knees, pulled muscles, maybe a dented rib or two, depending on whether they've been on the O-course yet.
 
Hi Nodiva, not a sponsor parent of a detailer for c/o 2020, but I can say that last year DS tore a groin muscle in PS during one of the organized sports periods (he said he was not sufficiently warmed up to play). He was on crutches for a good portion of PS. In the spring he suffered a spiral fracture on a finger while playing sports and had to have surgery. Being on the west coast we were concerned but DS assured us he received the best of medical care and attention.
 
Yes Plebes break. Honestly half of them are what I would call valid injuries, the other half are Plebes milking it. Their classmates know the difference and it will be recognized. A 'chit surfer' is not what they want to get labeled as and the peer pressure to rejoin their classmates in full training is there. Detailers keep an eye out for the Plebes who get hurt but don't say anything also. They like a tough Plebe, but don't want them to permanently hurt themselves. They are watched and monitored closely.
 
I completely expected "broken plebes" but not this soon. On second thought, I guess it makes sense. I am a cross country coach and it usually takes about 9-10 days for shin splints to flare up at the beginning of the season. Just happened to see lots of wrapped and taped arms and several on crutches in the last few days.
 
It's also the constant level of activity, not just one self-paced workout a day. Running in formation, chopping on hard flooring, PEP in the early AM and miscellaneous opportunities during the day to exercise + no naps + no sleep-ins + a lot of nervous energy eroding reserves + gung-ho-I-can-do-that = not a lot of recovery time for muscles, tendons, ligaments not accustomed to the non-stop action.

Best advice I ever got before heading off to OCS and similar introductory weeks was "get used to working out on a hard surface." In addition to running, sit-ups, pull-ups, etc., I went out every night after dinner to our concrete patio (in good shoes) and skipped rope, gradually adding time and pace increases. Built up stamina and staved off shin splints, plus doing it in summer heat and humidity of coastal Georgia helped me with the nasty sweat-ex aspects of it all.

As many posters have noted, they will be looked after.

Edit:
Chopping. The pace plebes move at while in Bancroft Hall, the dorm. Double-time trot, center of the p-way (passageway, corridor), squaring corners. The places where they square corners have stainless steel plates in place of the industrial flooring, or generations of plebes would rub a pit in the deck (floor).
 
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I was surprised at the number of kids on crutches, in slings. etc. So happy to see that they are still there and participating to the best of their ability. Made me wonder though, what kind of injury is the kind that gets a Plebe sent home? I would think it has to be pretty serious?
 
DS rolled his ankle when he came down hard with a locked knee during a run through the woods. They gave him an ankle brace, knee brace and crutches and DQ'd him from the heavy stuff for an extended period even though he swears he's fine and is pissed to be missing "cool stuff". Sounds like they are taking good care of the Plebes and erring to caution.
 
It has to be pretty bad to be sent home. I had a kid in my platoon who blew out his knee in PEP on day 2. He needed for surgery and rehab. He was sent home and came the next year. Most injuries are what you see above, overuse and they just aren't used to it and the last category, I hate to say it, Plebes who are just wimps (they exist). Detailers are good at identifying who is really broken and who is milking it. Swim PEP is rough. They make it rough on purpose to weed out those who think it will be easier. After they realize it's much harder, many make quick recoveries and return to their platoons on full duty.
 
If a Plebe cannot participate in some of the PS training due to a legitimate injury, will this impact their standing at all or the evaluation of them for their work during PS? EX. Significant ankle sprain prevents plebe from participating in running and other activities (obstacle course?) for 10-12 days.
 
It could. Honestly, Plebe Summer rankings don't mean much of anything. Its nothing to worry about.
 
If a Plebe cannot participate in some of the PS training due to a legitimate injury, will this impact their standing at all or the evaluation of them for their work during PS? EX. Significant ankle sprain prevents plebe from participating in running and other activities (obstacle course?) for 10-12 days.

Agree with Hoops.

As long as the plebe continues to perform all other duties to the extent he or she can, shows good spirit and commitment, and is a "good plebe," they will finish up the summer and transition to ac year where the real evaluation begins in terms of academic, performance and physical. When plebe is well, he or she will be expected to participate and pass in all required physical activity.

Plebes and mids get injured as part of an active lifestyle. On any given day during the ac year, you will see mids on crutches getting themselves to class or boarding the bus to a home football game because they can't march over.

USNA spent a lot of time and effort to build this class. Injuries are expected. Plebes won't be penalized.

Now, if a plebe milks a chit and gets a rep as a "chit-surfer," that is not the way to get a good start on their USNA career. Mids are extraordinarily good about sniffing that out amongst themselves.
 
My DS had knee surgery during his plebe summer. He rehabbed at the Academy and ended up good to start the academic year. It was not good getting a call from a Navy surgeon two weeks after you drop your kid for I Day but he did fine! ...about to start his 2C year. :thumb:
 
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