It's called "Plebe YEAR" for a REASON!

Zaphod

Zaphod

10-Year Member
Founding Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2006
Messages
2,925
I have heard through the grapevine that some new Plebes and their parents have been somewhat surprised to discover that Plebe harassment and other related shinanigans don't stop after Plebe Summer.

Uh, HELLO? Have ANY of you paid ANY attention? :confused:

It's called "Plebe YEAR" for a REASON. Plebe Summer is just the beginning, and while having several come-arounds per day and other "Platoon Commander's Time"-type evolutions do diminish, you now not only have to contend with several times as many upperclassmen, but with the ACADEMICS as well!

I cannot for the life of me understand how ANYONE who has been through the entire selection process, AND received an appointment, AND has gotten through Plebe Summer, can be shocked that the harassment and the rest of the fun continue unabated, if not actually increasing.

What, did you expect to be able to rack in after just six weeks as a Mid?

So, for all you NEW kids and parents out there who are looking at the Class of 2011 and beyond: Let me clue you in on the apparently-not-so-obvious: PLEBE YEAR LASTS AN ENTIRE ACADEMIC YEAR, as in TEN MONTHS. You are reciting rates all the way into June Week of your Plebe Year. You chop, eat square meals, sit on the two last inches of your chair, greet upperclassmen by name, etc., until your class gets its collective a$$ up Herndon and earns the right to be treated like a human being again. If you are not ready to put up with it, then please apply elsewhere, because there are tons of kids who ARE ready to do it.

Sorry, folks. Pet peave of mine. Almost as bad as the kid who drops out on I-Day because "I didn't realize it was a military school".

Sheesh! :mad:
 
Plebe year

I just finished a book called "The Pact". It's the story of 3 black Newark, NJ young men who agreed, against all odds to support themselves as they all worked to graduate high school, and go to college to become doctors. The miracle is not only did all 3 of them do so - but they have continued to join together and live and work in the inner city to inspire other young black children to escape the cycles of drugs, crime and poverty that nearly swallowed them.

OK, so what the heck is THIS doing on a USNA forum? Well, between high school graduation and the start of their freshman year of college - they are enrolled in a program to get them up to college standards academically. They list their day for the entire summer, and then the entire year of college...

I read the regimen and my one and only thought was : This is EXACTLY what Plebe Summer/year is. Almost down to the minute. The difference? OK, these kids aren't in military uniforms but they had dress codes, enforced study, required taps and reville, standards group eating times, mandatory sports - the whole nine yards.

Why? Because they were learning the discipline, the habits, the building of self-esteem that only comes when one is challenged to the limit and overcomes those limits.

I came away from that book knowing that if these inner city young men could achieve the impossible - so can our children - so many of whom come from family backgrounds and homes across the country without all the strikes against them these young men had.

My Plebe deals daily with stuff she only tells me is " Crazy, mom". Her shorthand to let me know alot of the stresses in her day make no sense - are sometimes downright stupid - but are put of the overall package. You want peace and quiet? A Forest Lawn Cemetary would suffice. But then again - these young people are training to be warriors, last time I checked and their life in combat will be "Crazy, mom" at unexpected times, in unexpected places and in unexpected ways.

Thank God for Plebe years! I think we parents need to remember Z's advice and know each and everyone of our young adults there at USNA have every tool they need to survive, thrive and grow. We need to support them and live with them in this year of training with an attitude of love, pride and encouragement - but certainly not surprise or discomfort.

GO NAVY
BEAT ARMY
:smile:
 
Very interesting insight. Thanx for sharing, Peskemadre. Sounds like a worthwhile read for young folks, regardless of where they're headed.
 
peskemom said:
My Plebe deals daily with stuff she only tells me is " Crazy, mom". Her shorthand to let me know alot of the stresses in her day make no sense - are sometimes downright stupid - but are put of the overall package. You want peace and quiet? A Forest Lawn Cemetary would suffice. But then again - these young people are training to be warriors, last time I checked and their life in combat will be "Crazy, mom" at unexpected times, in unexpected places and in unexpected ways.

Thank God for Plebe years! I think we parents need to remember Z's advice and know each and everyone of our young adults there at USNA have every tool they need to survive, thrive and grow. We need to support them and live with them in this year of training with an attitude of love, pride and encouragement - but certainly not surprise or discomfort.

GO NAVY
BEAT ARMY
:smile:
Click to expand...

One of my fondest memories of my son's plebe summer and year was the phone calls. The crisis of the previous phone call was always completely forgotten and the current call was always either a new crisis or a new high.
A total roller coaster ride. I was mentioning it to my mom one day and she dug out an old shoebox full of letters. Absolutely nothing has changed in the last 40 years, only the primary method of communication. I'm kind of glad we wrote letters, it relived a lot of memories.

Peskemom, I think most of the "Crazy, mom"s individually actually make no sense and are stupid, but collectively make up a valuable experience called plebe year.

Every Academy graduate has always believed that, without a doubt, their plebe year was harder than anyone who came after them. I don't believe that. Sitting on the sidelines during my son's plebe year was the hardest one I ever experienced.
 
Last edited:
Yes. It as a full year. And they remember every minute of it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top