The fact is the real quote should be: "You're a plebe until you get your eval from and get off your first ship during sea year."
Of course I don't recommend any Plebe Candidates say that to any third class DI's these next couple of weeks, but you can at least know the fact is many of those that will be "yelling" at you these coming months during Indoc and First Trimester are really not so far from where you are in the "Real Kings Point Pecking Order." To the Second and First Class they are really "Super Plebes" until they get back from Sea and they stop worrying about things like: irons, the luster of the shine on their shoes, and other similar stuff that has very, very little, if at all to being a leader in the Maritime Industry specifically and the world generally. That said a true leader certainly knows and understands well how to take and follow direction/orders as well as how to give them and when it's appropriate to do one or the other; which is why a Regimental System is part, in some way, of every Maritime Academy's program in this country.