Advice for plebe summer

P

Plebe2be

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Joined
Jun 27, 2023
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Hey all you incoming plebes! I am so excited for y’all (and so so happy to not be a plebe pretty soon!) I lurked all over these pages before I left for the Bay, where Severn meets the tide. I found some really useful advice, but it was kind of all over the place, so I thought I’d start a thread for plebe summer advice. A couple of things about the physical part first.

The first thing is, be physically prepared. There is a plebe summer suggested workout that gets you ready. I mostly followed it, did well on the IST (initial strength test, on your first or second full day of PS) and really well on the PRT at the end of PS, which is your first graded PRT.

Trainers: advice about these is always mixed, don’t get bright shoes, get bright shoes so the ‘rents can find you. The gouge: no one cares about your shoes. Wear trainers that fit your feet and allow you to avoid injury. You wear them 90 minutes a day, 5 days a week (for morning PEP), and the rest of the 168 hours in the week you wear what they tell you to wear. In fact, I have worn what the Navy tells me to wear for ten months minus ten days over winter break. Just accept it.

The biggest thing that I think is missing from all the advice is about the mental game. Plebe summer is almost entirely mental. I was more prepared for this than I thought I was. It was either the Supe or the Dant last summer who said to us during the oath ceremony, do what your detailers tell you to do, and you will succeed. He was absolutely right. We had no idea how mindless we all were individually and collectively. It is that mindlessness that our detailers noticed and corrected. When they say “you have five minutes to shave your faces and brush your teeth and get on the wall” they mean exactly that. Do not second-guess, do not try to out-maneuver, do not think you will be able to negotiate. Do not anticipate and do something more or something else. Just DO THE JOB. (And men, practice shaving NOW using a crappy manual razor in about 1 minute.) If they say “you have five minutes to make your racks and be on the wall in whiteworks delta” then that is your target. Figure out how to get it done.

Some of you will figure this out A LOT sooner than others. Then you have two choices, you can get annoyed and impatient with your teammates (the Navy calls them “shipmate”) and make it worse for everyone, or you can HELP your shipmates. Your shipmate is not failing because he’s a dumba$$, he’s failing because you know how to win, he doesn’t yet, and you’re not helping him win. Parents, when you see stuff in photos like a plebe wearing 2 or 3 nametags, it’s because they or a shipmate forgot theirs. Sir and ma’am sandwiches are so you are mindful about who you are talking to. Rates teach you to be mindful (even though they suck, let’s be real) and respond rapidly. You learn rates by chunking things together. You will figure this stuff out, but that’s what I think it’s all for.

The other mental game or trick is to practice noticing everything. You will suck at this at first and it is exhausting, but it is absolutely necessary. Notice as much as you can, don’t judge it or try to figure it out, just notice it. Also manage your internal conversation about being too frustrated or overwhelmed or tired to notice. You will rapidly get better at this, like I noticed I was seeing patterns and anticipating what the detailers would say and do by the end of the first week. Then you can use that to be more efficient with your time. Do not, do not let yourself get spun up in frustration or overwhelm or being down on yourself because those things keep you from winning. You will get better at this part too.

If you are thinking you have to go in with a LOT of humility, you are so right. As soon as you think you know something, meaning you think you know better, you and your squadmates are cooked. The people who were okay being wrong about something are the people I liked, and like, the most. They are the ones who seem to learn the fastest.

Finally: we are men and women, not guys and girls (except when going to DTA maybe!). Men, the women have to work just as hard or harder than you. If you shove some short woman away from the climbing rope, you are gonna get reamed by a detailer, plus all the short women I know are gymnasts or dancers or the like and can climb that rope faster than half the men. Women, if you try to play the “I caaaan’t” card, the detailers will kindly assist you to build that upper-body strength you claim to lack with extra front-leaning rest and pushups. Point for everyone: go until your body literally fails (don’t break anything) and respect your shipmates.

That’s enough for now, I guess!
 
This was a great post - BZ for sharing.

Plebe2be said:
Your shipmate is not failing because he’s a dumba$$, he’s failing because you know how to win, he doesn’t yet, and you’re not helping him win.
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Don’t let this mentality fall off after plebe year…it is very easy to get back into the “self” mentality once the pressure cooker of plebe year is over. I admired those upperclass and my classmates who sacrificed their own time to help shipmates out…academics, PT, mentorship, you name it. To this day, I still admire the officers who push aside their own work schedule (meaning they will be working later) to help subordinates and peers (and sometimes seniors) because they care about breaking down their barriers to make the individual personally and professionally successful. You certainly will EARN people’s respect for this. I’m also certain you see this with professors who spend extra instruction/hours to ensure MIDN succeed in the classroom.
 
usnabgo08 said:
Don’t let this mentality fall off after plebe year…it is very easy to get back into the “self” mentality once the pressure cooker of plebe year is over.
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usnabgo08 said:
To this day, I still admire the officers who push aside their own work schedule (meaning they will be working later) to help subordinates and peers (and sometimes seniors) because they care about breaking down their barriers to make the individual personally and professionally successful.
Click to expand...
I'm listening to Gen. James Mattis's autobiography, "Call Sign Chaos." I'm amazed at how much and how often he invokes the power of teamwork. Not just teamwork within the Marine Corps, or between the Marine Corps and the Navy, but especially among every branch of the military. And especially among the flag officers. If anyone has a right to a big ego and self-serving behavior, you'd think it would be the generals and the admirals. According to Mattis, not so. Not so at all.
 
More stuff.

About I-day. On I-day you get issued a staggering (literally, you will be staggering) amount of stuff including 2 pairs of trainers and a pair of boots. Last summer we had to wear the issued boots, but they are actually pretty good. TAKE YOUR TIME at the issue points to try the boots and shoes on and get a good fit! Also, men especially: KNOW YOUR SIZE of underwear because “I don’t know, my mom buys mine” isn’t going to fly well. Women: get what fits. No one cares whether you are a medium or a large.

When you finally form up in Alumni Hall and on the loading dock after all your stuff has been issued, detailers will say “no talking” and they mostly mean that. However: when detailers are not around or busy with other stuff, introduce yourself to your squadmate to the left and right, quietly. “Hey I’m Waldo Zumwaldt from Springfield Minnesota.” Note I am NOT telling your to break the rules or “you rate what you skate”. One job you will have is to know your squadmates’ names and home towns, might as well get on the job ASAP. Plus, then you will actually know people!

Another mental practice I want to offer: use every opportunity to reflect about what you are learning. My dad taught me this before 9th grade and it is called metacognition. There’s a belief that we don’t have time to think during PS, but we actually have a lot of time, if you are looking for it. If you are transitioning between one training evolution and NMF, your squad or platoon is probably singing a jody or chanting rates, but you can take an occasional break and just use 30 sec or one minute to think: “What did I just learn? What is coming up? What am I expected to do for this next evolution?” Don’t be too cynical either, that just spirals you down. So “I just learned that Mr. Smith is a giant tool” — well, yeah, maybe, but you can’t do anything about that. “I just learned that Mr. Smith expects me to sound off LOUDLY the first time and much louder than Ms. Johnson” is something you can use. These opportunities for reflection can happen all throughout the day. If you are standing at the climbing wall and not “on belay” you can be thinking about the knot you just learned to tie. If you are at the shooting range and unarmed, you can be thinking about how you position your hands and what the weapon felt like as you held it, and also Mr. Thompson reminded you not to squeeze it so tight and to pull the trigger gently and steadily, not jerk it. I have not been on the range in many months, but I remember Mr. Thompson saying that to me last summer, for the next time I go. When my squad ran the O-course a couple weeks ago for Sea Trials prep, I remembered something a detailer said to me last PS about getting over one of the obstacles.

Also if you are thinking about your thinking, you will start to notice that you can kind of guess what others (shipmates) are thinking by what they do, and then you can help them. Last summer I noticed one of my roomies break formation before the detailer finished saying “DIS…MISSED!” (You are not supposed to do that.) So I helped them notice that and we worked out that roomie would not move before the final “T” in “DIS…MISSED!” Roomie had NO idea they were doing that. Plenty of people helped me the same way, see paragraph above.

Professionalism: be professional at ALL times. ALL. TIMES. You don’t earn the privilege to call your SEL “Gunny” for a long time - he is “Gunnery Sergeant Olson”. Your detailers are Mr. and Ms. Officers are “Full rank Lastname”, Captain Morgan and Major Tom. Over this year, I have learned the distinction between professionalism and familiarity. Upperclass (which is everyone except plebes), officers and SEL are ALWAYS accorded professional courtesy NO MATTER WHAT. There are times when I can now be familiar with “Gunny Olson”, but 1) Gunny Olson extended this invitation; I didn’t presume it; 2) this is when we are interacting spontaneously and not in a training situation or a brief, at which time 3) I default to “Gunnery Sergeant Olson” when in doubt. You will learn that there are times when you can be loose and lighthearted, but you will still be expected to be professional AT ALL TIMES. It’s actually kind of cool and helpful — there’s nothing to guess about.

I hope this stuff is helpful, I’ll keep adding if it is, and sorry it’s tumbling out kind of randomly.
 
usna1985 said:
I would encourage you to take max opportunity to learn from your SELs. We didn’t have them in our day. They are literally fonts of wisdom. They have forgotten more about the real USN/USMC in the last day than you will learn in your first year.
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My gunny is no joke one of the smartest people I have met in my time at USNA, including professors. He may be "just" enlisted but he earned his BA, while being a full-time Marine. He has read SO MUCH too, we have actually discussed metacognition and how people become experts in their fields, along with Marine culture and history of all the little-m marine forces. He is a strong advocate for those of us with two X chromosomes going Marine. I came in thinking there was no way I would want to go USMC but now it is on the table like almost everything else. I am really excited about PROTRAMID this summer, I have PROTRAMID East for Block 1 and I can't wait to see how the Fleet really runs!
 
Plebe2be said:
More stuff.

About I-day. On I-day you get issued a staggering (literally, you will be staggering) amount of stuff including 2 pairs of trainers and a pair of boots. Last summer we had to wear the issued boots, but they are actually pretty good. TAKE YOUR TIME at the issue points to try the boots and shoes on and get a good fit! Also, men especially: KNOW YOUR SIZE of underwear because “I don’t know, my mom buys mine” isn’t going to fly well. Women: get what fits. No one cares whether you are a medium or a large.

When you finally form up in Alumni Hall and on the loading dock after all your stuff has been issued, detailers will say “no talking” and they mostly mean that. However: when detailers are not around or busy with other stuff, introduce yourself to your squadmate to the left and right, quietly. “Hey I’m Waldo Zumwaldt from Springfield Minnesota.” Note I am NOT telling your to break the rules or “you rate what you skate”. One job you will have is to know your squadmates’ names and home towns, might as well get on the job ASAP. Plus, then you will actually know people!

Another mental practice I want to offer: use every opportunity to reflect about what you are learning. My dad taught me this before 9th grade and it is called metacognition. There’s a belief that we don’t have time to think during PS, but we actually have a lot of time, if you are looking for it. If you are transitioning between one training evolution and NMF, your squad or platoon is probably singing a jody or chanting rates, but you can take an occasional break and just use 30 sec or one minute to think: “What did I just learn? What is coming up? What am I expected to do for this next evolution?” Don’t be too cynical either, that just spirals you down. So “I just learned that Mr. Smith is a giant tool” — well, yeah, maybe, but you can’t do anything about that. “I just learned that Mr. Smith expects me to sound off LOUDLY the first time and much louder than Ms. Johnson” is something you can use. These opportunities for reflection can happen all throughout the day. If you are standing at the climbing wall and not “on belay” you can be thinking about the knot you just learned to tie. If you are at the shooting range and unarmed, you can be thinking about how you position your hands and what the weapon felt like as you held it, and also Mr. Thompson reminded you not to squeeze it so tight and to pull the trigger gently and steadily, not jerk it. I have not been on the range in many months, but I remember Mr. Thompson saying that to me last summer, for the next time I go. When my squad ran the O-course a couple weeks ago for Sea Trials prep, I remembered something a detailer said to me last PS about getting over one of the obstacles.

Also if you are thinking about your thinking, you will start to notice that you can kind of guess what others (shipmates) are thinking by what they do, and then you can help them. Last summer I noticed one of my roomies break formation before the detailer finished saying “DIS…MISSED!” (You are not supposed to do that.) So I helped them notice that and we worked out that roomie would not move before the final “T” in “DIS…MISSED!” Roomie had NO idea they were doing that. Plenty of people helped me the same way, see paragraph above.

Professionalism: be professional at ALL times. ALL. TIMES. You don’t earn the privilege to call your SEL “Gunny” for a long time - he is “Gunnery Sergeant Olson”. Your detailers are Mr. and Ms. Officers are “Full rank Lastname”, Captain Morgan and Major Tom. Over this year, I have learned the distinction between professionalism and familiarity. Upperclass (which is everyone except plebes), officers and SEL are ALWAYS accorded professional courtesy NO MATTER WHAT. There are times when I can now be familiar with “Gunny Olson”, but 1) Gunny Olson extended this invitation; I didn’t presume it; 2) this is when we are interacting spontaneously and not in a training situation or a brief, at which time 3) I default to “Gunnery Sergeant Olson” when in doubt. You will learn that there are times when you can be loose and lighthearted, but you will still be expected to be professional AT ALL TIMES. It’s actually kind of cool and helpful — there’s nothing to guess about.

I hope this stuff is helpful, I’ll keep adding if it is, and sorry it’s tumbling out kind of randomly.
Click to expand...
Thank you for taking the time to write these incredibly formative posts. I’m know your posts will help my plebe2be and others.
 
Plebe2be said:
He is a strong advocate for those of us with two X chromosomes going Marine. I came in thinking there was no way I would want to go USMC but now it is on the table like almost everything else.
Click to expand...
Sounds like DD. Entered USNA with zero intention of commissioning as a Marine. Her company SEL, Staff Sgt. _____ was influential. So were two Marine officers with whom she spent significant time as part of big billets that she held. When it came time to submit her preferences, she had 100% intention of commissioning as a Marine.
 
Plebe2be said:
Hey all you incoming plebes! I am so excited for y’all (and so so happy to not be a plebe pretty soon!) I lurked all over these pages before I left for the Bay, where Severn meets the tide. I found some really useful advice, but it was kind of all over the place, so I thought I’d start a thread for plebe summer advice. A couple of things about the physical part first.

The first thing is, be physically prepared. There is a plebe summer suggested workout that gets you ready. I mostly followed it, did well on the IST (initial strength test, on your first or second full day of PS) and really well on the PRT at the end of PS, which is your first graded PRT.

Trainers: advice about these is always mixed, don’t get bright shoes, get bright shoes so the ‘rents can find you. The gouge: no one cares about your shoes. Wear trainers that fit your feet and allow you to avoid injury. You wear them 90 minutes a day, 5 days a week (for morning PEP), and the rest of the 168 hours in the week you wear what they tell you to wear. In fact, I have worn what the Navy tells me to wear for ten months minus ten days over winter break. Just accept it.

The biggest thing that I think is missing from all the advice is about the mental game. Plebe summer is almost entirely mental. I was more prepared for this than I thought I was. It was either the Supe or the Dant last summer who said to us during the oath ceremony, do what your detailers tell you to do, and you will succeed. He was absolutely right. We had no idea how mindless we all were individually and collectively. It is that mindlessness that our detailers noticed and corrected. When they say “you have five minutes to shave your faces and brush your teeth and get on the wall” they mean exactly that. Do not second-guess, do not try to out-maneuver, do not think you will be able to negotiate. Do not anticipate and do something more or something else. Just DO THE JOB. (And men, practice shaving NOW using a crappy manual razor in about 1 minute.) If they say “you have five minutes to make your racks and be on the wall in whiteworks delta” then that is your target. Figure out how to get it done.

Some of you will figure this out A LOT sooner than others. Then you have two choices, you can get annoyed and impatient with your teammates (the Navy calls them “shipmate”) and make it worse for everyone, or you can HELP your shipmates. Your shipmate is not failing because he’s a dumba$$, he’s failing because you know how to win, he doesn’t yet, and you’re not helping him win. Parents, when you see stuff in photos like a plebe wearing 2 or 3 nametags, it’s because they or a shipmate forgot theirs. Sir and ma’am sandwiches are so you are mindful about who you are talking to. Rates teach you to be mindful (even though they suck, let’s be real) and respond rapidly. You learn rates by chunking things together. You will figure this stuff out, but that’s what I think it’s all for.

The other mental game or trick is to practice noticing everything. You will suck at this at first and it is exhausting, but it is absolutely necessary. Notice as much as you can, don’t judge it or try to figure it out, just notice it. Also manage your internal conversation about being too frustrated or overwhelmed or tired to notice. You will rapidly get better at this, like I noticed I was seeing patterns and anticipating what the detailers would say and do by the end of the first week. Then you can use that to be more efficient with your time. Do not, do not let yourself get spun up in frustration or overwhelm or being down on yourself because those things keep you from winning. You will get better at this part too.

If you are thinking you have to go in with a LOT of humility, you are so right. As soon as you think you know something, meaning you think you know better, you and your squadmates are cooked. The people who were okay being wrong about something are the people I liked, and like, the most. They are the ones who seem to learn the fastest.

Finally: we are men and women, not guys and girls (except when going to DTA maybe!). Men, the women have to work just as hard or harder than you. If you shove some short woman away from the climbing rope, you are gonna get reamed by a detailer, plus all the short women I know are gymnasts or dancers or the like and can climb that rope faster than half the men. Women, if you try to play the “I caaaan’t” card, the detailers will kindly assist you to build that upper-body strength you claim to lack with extra front-leaning rest and pushups. Point for everyone: go until your body literally fails (don’t break anything) and respect your shipmates.

That’s enough for now, I guess!
Click to expand...
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Exactly the advice I was scrolling for!!
 
Going in the bookmarks just in case I ever get out of this wait-list!
 
Love the “practice to shave your face with a crappy manual razor in about 1 minute” - this is one thing I wish my mid had thought about, he had nasty ugly cuts on his face during plebe summer for shaving too fast 🤦🏻‍♀️ - BUT, he learned!
 
mspeachintexas said:
Love the “practice to shave your face with a crappy manual razor in about 1 minute” - this is one thing I wish my mid had thought about, he had nasty ugly cuts on his face during plebe summer for shaving too fast 🤦🏻‍♀️ - BUT, he learned!
Click to expand...
Yes, this! My plebe got in the habit of practicing “under 2 min shaves” daily before reporting. If you have a favorite blade razor, you can bring it along. And I would recommend grabbing a Nick Stick, too for the inevitable cuts. Blood on your ringer shirts and whiteworks is not a good look!
 
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