Class sizes and budget cuts

Will the number of people accepted into USNA decrease due to budget cuts? What else do you think will be cut?

I heard a rumor -- and just that, a rumor -- that USMA is planning to cut the size of the Class of 2018 from 1,200 to 1,000. I haven't heard similar about USNA, and I haven't heard anything to indicate that the Class of 2017 will be smaller. Take this with a grain of salt. It's not "official".

So that means the competition will be even tighter now for class of 2018

Not Positive... But

I am an Active Duty Marine stationed in the National Capital Region. I have read a lot of gouge on both the Navy and Marine Corps side of the house concerning budget cuts. I have not seen anything about the incoming class size being reduce for this, or any subsequent years.

The only cuts currently announced or planned for any Midshipman (USNA or NROTC) are the summer training programs, and even that doesn't specify what the cuts will be. It is safe to assume Summer Cruises will be canceled, however, the Navy still has to do something with them, so we will see.

Further, and this is a belief, and not fact so feel free to chime in if anyone has any further information. I "believe" that the brigade size, not class size, to ALL of the service academies is protected under Title 10 USC. The USNA is set for a Brigade of 4400 Midshipman. The typical incoming class of around 1200 is the 1100 slated, and then enough to make up for those that attrit prior to graduation to set the brigade back at 4400 for the beginning of the shool year.

I know for a fact this is the case for the Reserves, all branches, and I believe holds true for the Service Academies. So, unless USC is rewritten, which is not exactly easy, yet not impossible to do, then the class size will not shrink.

Additionally, the Senior Military Colleges ROTC programs enjoy similiar protection. All other ROTC programs however can be cut by the individual service at their discression, but again, those cuts have not been addressed by the Navy or Marine Corps at this point.

With summer training being cut will summer leave be longer for USNA?

RedGoldBlue said:

It is safe to assume Summer Cruises will be canceled, however, the Navy still has to do something with them, so we will see.

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I think it would be a real shame if summer cruises were canceled. I'm not a graduate, just an interested parent of an incoming plebe. That said, the cruises appear to be where school and book training intersect with the practical aspects of shipboard command. It's hard to imagine that we could graduate fully competent Naval officers without the practical experience of the summer cruises.

But then again, I guess that is the point of the sequester. It's not supposed to make sense.

suddensam said:

I think it would be a real shame if summer cruises were canceled. I'm not a graduate, just an interested parent of an incoming plebe. That said, the cruises appear to be where school and book training intersect with the practical aspects of shipboard command. It's hard to imagine that we could graduate fully competent Naval officers without the practical experience of the summer cruises.

But then again, I guess that is the point of the sequester. It's not supposed to make sense.

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I feel kind of bad about it too, mainly because I know DS was so looking forward to it. That being said, whatever training they miss on the summer cruises can be picked up later while on AD. I'm far more concerned about any other training they may lack prior to being deployed. There are far more important things than the summer cruises.