March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 50 F

REPOST: USNA Class of 2024, takes Oath of Office in Tecumseh Court (PHOTOS)


This afternoon, 1194 plebes, including 15 international students took the Oath of Office to finalize their move from civilian to enlisted personnel in the US Navy. The 4pm ceremony took place in Tecumseh Court in the shadows of Bancroft Hall, their dormitory for the next 4 years.

This class has 364 women and 830 men. International students (who will commission into their home country’s military after graduation) hailed from Albania, Cameroon, Fiji, Georgia, Jordan, Maldives, Mongolia, Montenegro, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Republic of Korea, and Sri Lanka.

Due to the health and safety concerns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the incoming plebe (freshman) class participated in a 14-day restriction of movement (ROM) upon arrival to USNA earlier this month for Induction Day.

“During the ROM period at USNA, plebes will be indoctrinated in the Naval Academy’s moral and mental missions through online lectures, and the study of the Navy’s Bluejacket Manual and Midshipmen Regulations Manual,” said Commandant of Midshipmen Capt. T.R. Buchanan. “Similarly, upper class midshipmen and staff who will be involved with the training of the incoming class over plebe summer will be in a ROM status to ensure the health and safety of all involved.”

All images ©2020 Glenn A. Miller Photography for Eye On Annapolis

After the Oath, Plebe Summer begins in earnest.

Plebe Summer is a challenging six weeks of basic midshipmen training. 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.

This year, the first two weeks of Plebe Summer were spent in Bancroft Hall during a mandatory Restriction of Movement (ROM) for COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

  • Plebes were issued their laptop computers prior to the 14-day ROM in order to complete training and administrative tasks while restricted to Bancroft Hall.
    • Plebes were indoctrinated in the Naval Academy’s moral and mental missions through online lectures and the study of the Navy’s Bluejacket Manual and Midshipmen Regulations Manual.
  • Access to the internet was limited to that which is required in order to complete training, briefs, and any other events directed by the chain of command.

As the summer progresses following the 14-day ROM, the plebes will continue a more typical training routine for USNA Plebe Summer::

  • The new midshipmen rapidly assimilate basic skills in seamanship, navigation, damage control, sailing and handling yard patrol craft. Plebes also learn close order 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. Twenty hours are devoted to the instruction of close order drill.

NOTE: Video was streamed live on the All Annapolis Facebook page via mobile device. With 98 degree heat, the device periodically stopped. :(

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