Ask a Firstie!

Navy19

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Jul 27, 2018
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Open to anyone, if you have questions about life at USNA, I'll do my best to answer! I'm not the best person to answer admissions related questions because it's been a while since I applied, but if you have any questions about life after plebe summer/plebe year, summer trainings, academics etc., ask!
 
I have one.
How glad are you to let those blueberries wear out and replace them with the new NWU III?

Also, enjoy your Firstie year. You start over in May! :)
 
I have one.
How glad are you to let those blueberries wear out and replace them with the new NWU III?

Also, enjoy your Firstie year. You start over in May! :)

Pretty glad about the uniform, they’re more comfortable than the blue ones from what we’ve heard from the folks already wearing them. But not excited about paying for a whole new set on uniforms!

Thanks, I’m excited to get there!
 
What is your major? What are you doing for summer training? What do you want to service select? What have you enjoyed the most about USNA? Enjoy firstie year. It is a blast.
 
What is your major? What are you doing for summer training? What do you want to service select? What have you enjoyed the most about USNA? Enjoy firstie year. It is a blast.

I’m a political science major doing powered flight and hoping to select Navy Pilot. My favorite things about USNA have been the places I’ve been over my summer trainings and the friends I’ve made. It’s hard a name one favorite thing but I’ve been able to do a lot of things over my three years that I never would’ve expected from college. Thanks!
 
any essay ideas? Also what are some of the academies ships you got to travel on and where did you go? Did you go to summer seminar? How long would you say it took you to get used to academy life and the routine? I apologize for so many questions take your time responding. And thank you for your service
 
any essay ideas? Also what are some of the academies ships you got to travel on and where did you go? Did you go to summer seminar? How long would you say it took you to get used to academy life and the routine? I apologize for so many questions take your time responding. And thank you for your service

I’ve been underway on destroyers, an amphibious assault ship, and a submarine. Between your summers you’ll see a few different types of ships and units. I didn’t go to summer seminar. In terms of travel, I’ve been to five or so states that I hadn’t been to before, and went to Asia after my 3/C year. I’m not really sure how long it took me to get used to plebe year, but having observed classes after mine, I would say it takes plebes anywhere from 1-3 weeks to get used to the ac year. I wouldn’t worry too much about getting used to it, because over plebe summer you’ll respond to the change automatically, and you’ll be fine during the ac year if you go in with a good attitude.
 
Open to anyone, if you have questions about life at USNA, I'll do my best to answer! I'm not the best person to answer admissions related questions because it's been a while since I applied, but if you have any questions about life after plebe summer/plebe year, summer trainings, academics etc., ask!

Hello, I am a current plebe in the class of 22 and am wondering about the rules surrounding attending away football games. Are plebes allowed to go? If so, how does the process work? I was hoping to go to the September 1st game at Hawaii because I have a few friends at UH. Would this be too early/short notice? Anything helps. Thanks!
 
Away football games are a toss up from year to year... Basically, if there is sufficient funding for USNA to send mids to an away game(which there wasn’t much of last year), an email will be sent out a few weeks before the game and sign up is on a first come first serve basis. Games on the East Coast are more more likely to be funded, since USNA can simply hire coach buses to transport mids(1/2/3/C can usually travel independtly and be partially reimbursed). For games that are a flying distance away, it varies greatly. Usually the USAFA/Notre Dame games, if away, will be funded, but for other games, especially non-conference, it is a lower likelihood. My plebe year, a couple of flying distance games were funded, but last year, there was almost none. Notre Dame was funded last year, but with it being out in San Diego, it will again all depend on the ever constraining budget...
 
I have a plebe this year,What was the hardest part of plebe year? what class do most plebes struggle with? what are the extra assignments plebes have to do- my son mentioned having to get a 95% on plebe tests for his company?
 
I have a plebe this year,What was the hardest part of plebe year? what class do most plebes struggle with? what are the extra assignments plebes have to do- my son mentioned having to get a 95% on plebe tests for his company?

While awaiting a current mid/recent grad response, enjoy browsing the links. All plebes, outside of regular academic classes, sports, professional duties such as watch-standing/drill/inspections, personal physical fitness work and 1000 other tasks, have to find time to learn “pro knowledge, ” or “pro-know,” (the terms change over the years) and take weekly quizzes on assigned material. This was the training booklet for Class of 2018.

https://www.usna.edu/Training/_file...rences/4C PROBOOK 2014-15 Final - 17Jul14.pdf


If you want a glimpse of the full syllabus, take in this:

https://www.usna.edu/Training/Professional-Knowledge-References.php#fndtn-panel13CReferences

And for color commentary:

http://www.academyinsider.com/pro-know/
 
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Most plebes struggle with time management. There is literally more on your plate than you can do at the (excellent) level you expect of yourself and USNA expects of you. You learn to lean on your roommates/classmates (as they lean on you), to prioritize, and to recognize that, in the end, some things just can't/won't be done to an A+ standard.
 
I have a plebe this year,What was the hardest part of plebe year? what class do most plebes struggle with? what are the extra assignments plebes have to do- my son mentioned having to get a 95% on plebe tests for his company?

While awaiting a current mid/recent grad response, enjoy browsing the links. All plebes, outside of regular academic classes, sports, professional duties such as watch-standing/drill/inspections, personal physical fitness work and 1000 other tasks, have to find time to learn “pro knowledge, ” or “pro-know,” (the terms change over the years) and take weekly quizzes on assigned material. This was the training booklet for Class of 2018.

https://www.usna.edu/Training/_files/documents/References/1C MQS References/4C PROBOOK 2014-15 Final - 17Jul14.pdf


If you want a glimpse of the full syllabus, take in this:

https://www.usna.edu/Training/Professional-Knowledge-References.php#fndtn-panel13CReferences

And for color commentary:

http://www.academyinsider.com/pro-know/
thanks, this was quite helpful-
 
In the traditional, informal "first day of school" pictures that midmoms want their mids to send them on cell phones, why are some mids wearing the summer whites and others are wearing the dark uniforms? Does one color designate Navy and the other Marine?

Getting any info from my mid is like finding a hen's tooth. Thanks!
 
The dark blue uniform is called working blues and is their daily school uniform. Summer whites would be considered the dress uniform for the day. It would switch to service dress blues (the jacket, white shirt and tie uniform) for the winter. They could be wearing those due to inspections, watch, etc. The general rule is someone can always dress up but not below the uniform of the day. You will notice for lunch formations everyone will be in the designated uniform of the day.

Actually question for current Mids or newer grads... do you wear winter working blues anymore (long sleeves and tie)? What do you do for PE now?
 
Here is all you ever wanted to know, and then some: https://www.usna.edu/UniformRegs/Chapter2-DescriptionOfUniforms/summer-white.php

Summer white, short sleeve is the uniform your Mid was wearing during PPW.
This is not to be confused with "Dress White" (colloquially known as "Choker Whites" because of the standing collar).

The "Working Blue" uniform is a dark blue (Okay, it's black, but it's called "blue").
This week (for instance) they were wearing the working blues to classes.

Technically, the service uniform (that's the Khaki one that I haven't even talked about!) is the one that you would normally wear every day, and then switch to the working uniform when you are going to be doing something that may soil your service khaki uniform.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong here, but the "everyday" uniform of the day for all Midshipmen is the Working Blue uniform.
If they venture outside of Bancroft Hall, you will typically see them in Working Blues.
This of course, can change with the "Plan of the Day" in which another uniform is prescribed.

If you really want a photo of every single combination they could possibly wear, go HERE and download the PDF. There are 139 pages of it. :)
 
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Yes working blues is the day to day uniform for Mids. I do not believe they wear khakis except the summer time. At one point a few years ago firsties wore them during the ac year (one of Supts wanted firsties to stand out) but I think they got rid of that.
 
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