Automobile usage and parking at the Naval Academy after plebe year?

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It's the first hit if you put "Automobile usage and parking at the Naval Academy after plebe year?" in Google.
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General Information

General Information page for Admissions at USNA.edu. Updated Wed Apr 16 04:39:18 EDT 2025.
www.usna.edu
 
My son, 3C MIDN, is looking forward to brining his car to Annapolis this summer. As 2C, they can park it on the Navy USMC Stadium Grounds (he tells me).
 
This last year, no autos got much use. Our own 2/c decided to not bring his. It’s sits here in the driveway. Day 1 of allowed liberty, Mass Mids headed to the stadium, only to find their batteries dead. Seriously. What a sight, but the FIO.

I know one can park for fee at the stadium (have to apply). But there are also other options via private companies. Ie: hotels. More money, but covered garage and more secure. Also sponsor parents *could* be an option if offered.

Our WHOLE family is excited about the upcoming firstie year parking privledges as we will loose the neighborhood parking lot look 🙄.
 
THParent said:
It's the first hit if you put "Automobile usage and parking at the Naval Academy after plebe year?" in Google.
www.usna.edu

General Information

General Information page for Admissions at USNA.edu. Updated Wed Apr 16 04:39:18 EDT 2025.
www.usna.edu
Click to expand...

^^^ this paragraph ^^^ .... notice plebes below in all lowercase.

Motor Vehicles​

Restrictions apply to your use of motor vehicles as a midshipman. This is necessary because parking space is very limited at the Academy and in Annapolis. Also, you have limited time off in the first years to make use of a private vehicle. These are the current rules:

  • Third Class midshipmen and plebes are not permitted to operate motor vehicles except when authorized leave, such as during Christmas vacation.
  • Second Class midshipmen may have a car but must maintain and operate it beyond Academy grounds.
  • First Class midshipmen may drive a car in Annapolis and on the Naval Academy.
  • No midshipman is allowed to maintain or operate a motorcycle.
 
[The following is based on a NON-COVID world]

It's one thing if the mid already has a car and wants to bring it to park at stadium or sponsor's. I really question the wisdom of purchasing a car prior to 1/C year since you use it so infrequently and it's 2 full years before you're an Ensign when you'll use it more regularly. Regardless, you have to pay for insurance, pay for gas, pay for maintenance, maybe pay for parking, etc. 2/C year tends to be pretty intensive in terms of studies and military obligations, so there isn't all that much free time on WEs. 1/C don't get much weekday liberty and 2/C get none. So you're looking AT MOST using your car on WEs when you don't have duty or a military obligation. It's really not much for a 1/C and precious little for a 2/C. Finally, most 2/C have 1/C friends with cars if they want to go someplace.

In our day, the rules were somewhat different (no stadium parking and no car loan until May of 2/C year), so almost no 2/C had cars. I don't recall it being a huge deal. Of all the things I wish were different, being allowed a car 2/C year doesn't make the top 20 list. But I recognize things may be different today.
 
helmsdown said:
I bought one of these for DD after she called asking how to jump her roomie's car. Portable car jumper If you're leaving a car for undetermined lengths of time they are great.
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Where we live, many people have jumper cables that are more valuable than their cars. The pros and cons of which brand are a main topic over beers from October through April...and then I bought a hybrid and found out I could no longer jump a car.
 
usna1985 said:
In our day, the rules were somewhat different (no stadium parking and no car loan until May of 2/C year), so almost no 2/C had cars. I don't recall it being a huge deal. Of all the things I wish were different, being allowed a car 2/C year doesn't make the top 20 list. But I recognize things may be different today.
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Ahem. . . there may have been more cars than you know as the info was by necessity kept somewhat on the D/L.

Sincerely
Never caught Youngster AND 2/C car owner

AND

Parent of a Youngster and 2/C car owner.

In both cases, the contraband auto was stationed at Sponsor home.

Mine actually MAY have spent a couple of Saturday Nights in the MidStore parking lot. . . prior to an hour before taps, Gate 8 was a pretty
safe entrypoint with a careful departure on Sunday.
 
helmsdown said:
bought one of these for DD after she called asking how to jump her roomie's car. Portable car jumper If you're leaving a car for undetermined lengths of time they are great.
Click to expand...

Something to keep in mind for future deployments for those who are single and/or without support - if you detach a lead from the battery, the battery shouldn't drain. Over a few deployments, my car has started and worked perfectly after re-attaching the lead once I returned.

It also might make sense to buy a used car instead of a brand new one - particularly if there is a decent likelihood of going SWO, where one will most likely be spending a lot of time on a ship and with a very busy operational schedule.
 
usnabgo08 said:
Something to keep in mind for future deployments for those who are single and/or without support - if you detach a lead from the battery, the battery shouldn't drain. Over a few deployments, my car has started and worked perfectly after re-attaching the lead once I returned.

It also might make sense to buy a used car instead of a brand new one - particularly if there is a decent likelihood of going SWO, where one will most likely be spending a lot of time on a ship and with a very busy operational schedule.
Click to expand...
If anyone cares...I highly recommend the OPTIMA line of batteries. While pricey, I finally gave in and bought the red top 6 years ago for my 57 Thunderbird and it has been connected and disconnected at least a thousand times and it is still going strong!
 
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