USMMA Summer Opportunities

Poirot74

Poirot74

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Joined
Aug 2, 2019
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11
Could someone share some about opportunities midshipmen have during their summer break? I don't know much about what they can do or how long it is.
 
The answer is not much. There are only three (maybe 2 if you’re an A-Splitter) of them, they aren’t long, and you’ll probably end up staffing idoc for one of them. You can see the calendar online to see how short they are.
 
You will have at least 300 days at sea while at USMMA which you can spend on a variety of vessels in a world full of locations. Therein you will find your options for discovery. Your more specific opportunities to explore career options come during your second sailing where you are required to complete an internship. You set up your own internship in whatever area interests you. As @beyond said, your summer breaks are short, only four weeks long, and only two weeks when you work INDOC which is required at least once. The good news is the flexibility you have to set up anything you want to do. For example, I know mids who have done a Navy flight internship, worked on a ferry, worked on a tugboat, worked in a port, or worked in a shipyard, among many other options. What is your area of interest?
 
Thanks for the responses. @kpmom2013 Some sort of flight internship is what I would most want to do. I aim on becoming a pilot someday although I'm leaning towards the Air Force instead of the Navy.
 
Flight internship would definitely be approved. My DS did his at Key West with the Navy, and he had a blast, but I know mids who have done AF flight internships as well. They usually last 2-3 weeks. Good luck.
 
As a "B" split, I really didn't get summer break until the one between my 2nd and 1st class year. And that one was only what, 5, 6 weeks? A good time to get one's feet up and get ready for the final push. . . .
 
beyond said:
The answer is not much. There are only three (maybe 2 if you’re an A-Splitter) of them, they aren’t long, and you’ll probably end up staffing idoc for one of them. You can see the calendar online to see how short they are.
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I was an A Splitter, I had 3 summers. First summer after plebe year was 3-4 weeks. 2nd was 3-4 weeks, but I was doing an internship at the same time. 3rd was after I finished 2nd sailing, didn't take a break between ships so I sailed 9 months straight. That summer was almost 2 months. May-July if I recall.

So yeah it's possible to get 3 full summers as an A Splitter, worked out fine for me. Never did anything for indoc because I convinced the commandant I was screwed on seatime, which I probably was.
 
Mr2020 said:
I was an A Splitter, I had 3 summers. First summer after plebe year was 3-4 weeks. 2nd was 3-4 weeks, but I was doing an internship at the same time. 3rd was after I finished 2nd sailing, didn't take a break between ships so I sailed 9 months straight. That summer was almost 2 months. May-July if I recall.

So yeah it's possible to get 3 full summers as an A Splitter, worked out fine for me. Never did anything for indoc because I convinced the commandant I was screwed on seatime, which I probably was.
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You know, since I only had the one summer, and it WAS some 40 years ago or so. . . it well could have been just 3 to 4 weeks. . . I just never thought about it. I do recall a few guys came out west, and we had a get together at San Francisco on the 4th, at Chrissy Field, then they rode their motorcycles back to school. . . That is about all I recall from that summer.
 
I was an A splitter when KP was on the quarter system. After second sailing I had enough time to do a 6 week internship.
 
Mini- BUDS and Leatherneck. Also Wall Street bank and Capital Hill internship. Union schools for advanced certifications. And yes, Mr2020 was screwed on sea time.
 
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