Induction Day. I-Day. The day in late June where 1200 young men and women (along with their families) invade Annapolis and the United States Naval Academy to begin their military career.
Plebes (freshmen/4th class Midshipmen) began arriving at 6am to begin the process that included instruction, a new uniform, and a fresh haircut to start off six weeks of intense training. They said goodbye to their loved ones, shed some tears and will be briefly reunited this evening after taking the oath of office in a ceremony at 6pm.
Class of 2022 Facts
- 1,211 men and women have been admitted to the Class of 2022 out of 16,086 applicants.
- There are 338 (28%) women midshipmen.
- There are 438 (36%) minority midshipmen.
- Every US State along with DC, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Northern Mariana Islands are represented.
- There are 14 international students from Cambodia, Cameroon, Egypt, The Gambia, Korea, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mongolia, Romania, Taiwan, and Thailand.
- 67 members of the Class of 2022 are the sons or daughters of alumni.
- There are 60 former enlisted members of the Class of 2022
What is a Plebe?
Every year, approximately 1,200 candidates are selected to become midshipmen at the Naval Academy and are known as “plebes” during Plebe Summer and their first year at the academy.
Induction Day
- “I-Day” is the first day of Plebe Summer and marks the day that a group of carefully selected applicants are transformed from civilians into fourth class midshipmen (freshmen).
- I-Day begins at 6 a.m. when prospective plebes begin reporting to the Naval Academy’s Alumni Hall where they cycle through medical examinations, uniform fittings, equipment issue, haircuts and administrative processing.
- The prospective plebes are introduced to the first class midshipmen (seniors), commissioned officers and senior enlisted personnel who will lead the Plebe Summer training program. They also meet their classmates, many of whom will become close friends by summer’s end.
- Incoming plebes take the oath of office at a ceremony at 6 p.m. I-Day
- When reporting for I-Day, plebes are expected to know verbatim the mission of the Naval Academy, the administrative chain of command, and the first three General Orders of a Sentry.
Reef Points
Every midshipman is given a copy of Reef Points on I-Day. This book serves as a thorough introduction to the Navy and the Naval Academy, and includes its mission, history and traditions. Plebes will be required to memorize virtually all of the more than 1,000 facts that are outlined in this small, blue book of approximately 225 pages so that their transition into military life is comprehensive and complete.
Oath of Office Ceremony
I-Day culminates during an evening ceremony when the new midshipmen take the Oath of Office in front of their family, friends and new classmates in Tecumseh Court. The new midshipmen pledge to “well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which (they) are about to enter.” The oath is reaffirmed at the conclusion of Plebe Summer.
Plebe Summer
Plebe Summer is a challenging six weeks of basic midshipmen training.
- During this time, plebes have no access to TV, movies, the internet or music, and restricted access to cell phones. They are permitted to make only three calls during Plebe Summer.
- The pressure and rigor of Plebe Summer is carefully designed to help plebes prepare for their first academic year at the Naval Academy and the four years of challenges which await them.
- As the summer progresses, the new midshipmen rapidly assimilate basic skills in seamanship, navigation, damage control, sailing, and handling yard patrol craft. Plebes also learn infantry drill and how to shoot 9 mm pistols and M-16 rifles.
- Other daily training sessions involve moral, mental, physical or professional development and team-building skills. Activities include swimming, martial arts, basic rock climbing, obstacle, endurance and confidence courses designed to develop physical, mental and team-building skills. Forty hours are devoted to the instruction of infantry drill and five formal parades.
Honor
Plebes receive instruction and indoctrination to the Brigade of Midshipmen’s honor concept. The character development program stresses that each individual has the moral courage and the desire to do the right thing because it is right, not from a fear of punishment. There is also training for plebes in teambuilding, concepts of equal opportunity, sexual assault and harassment prevention and responsible alcohol use.
Physical Conditioning
Plebes go through approximately 140 hours of physical education training during Plebe Summer, including 27 sessions of PEP (Physical Education Program) lasting one and a half hours, five days a week.
- Each plebe completes in excess of 3000 push-ups and sit-ups as well as a variety of core and leg exercises.
- Plebes run over 100 miles combined distance and interval training.
- At the end of Plebe Summer, each midshipman must be able to complete the Physical Readiness Test (PRT). PRT minimums include: 45 push-ups for males and 20 for females, 65 curl-ups, and a one and half mile run in under 10 minutes, 30 seconds for males and 12 minutes, 40 seconds for females. Many plebes will be able to double, or even triple, the numbers of push-ups and curl-ups.
Typical Plebe Summer Day
5:30 a.m. Reveille
6-7:30 a.m. Physical Education Program (PEP)
7:40-8:10 a.m. Room clean-up/uniform prep/rate review
8:10–8:45 a.m. Morning meal formation/meal
9 a.m.-noon Morning training
12:10-12:45 p.m. Noon meal formation/meal
12:45–6 p.m. Afternoon training
6:15-7 p.m. Evening meal formation/meal
7–9 p.m. Evening training
9-10 p.m. Mail call/Letter writing, journal entries, study time
10 p.m. Each night, before taps/lights-out at 10 p.m., the plebes sing the Naval Academy Alma Mater, “Blue and Gold.”
Plebes consume roughly over 4,000 healthy, well-balanced calories daily during Plebe Summer.
Parents’ Weekend
Approximately 3,000 family members and friends are anticipated to visit the Academy during this three-day weekend at the end of the sixth week of Plebe Summer. This is when parents have an opportunity to learn about their son/daughter’s new life as a midshipmen at the Naval Academy. Parents can participate in activities such as:
- Touring the dorm rooms in Bancroft Hall,
- Eating a meal in the midshipmen cafeteria, King Hall
- Watch a dress parade on Worden Field
- Tour the Yard
- Meet with Naval Academy faculty and staff members.
