First Steps:

Depending upon where you are in the process, you may have done some of the items on this list. Skip them. Be happy you’re done. Move on to the next:

If you’re serious about attending the USNA or any other military academy, buy a few books (or check them out of the library) on the process. It’s worth the investment because if you pursue this dream, you will be investing much more of your time and money before you achieve your goal. Better to make sure this is the direction you want to go.

Here are two books to get you started:

• Building a Midshipman: How to Crack the USNA Application—

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I post this every year to remind Americans what happened 48 years ago. It seems to be more relevant this year than usual, with the North Korea troubles:

In January, 1968, the intelligence ship, the USS Pueblo, was captured by North Korea. Its crew was not released until December 23, 1968, after being tortured and beaten. Here’s a pictorial of the story, from the official USS Pueblo website:

Here’s the story, as retold by Oliver North:

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Here’s a good list of ideas on how to make  Plebe Summer great for the entire family:

• You Know You’re a Plebe when…

• Plebe Summer Care Packages: What to Send

• You Know You’re a Plebe Parent if…

• 33 Rules (aka Rates) Plebes Must Follow

• What’s My Plebe Doing Today?

• Plebe Parent Weekend

• Plebe Parent Weekend is Past; Reform is Coming

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Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy. She is the author/editor of two military-tech thrillers, To Hunt a Sub and Twenty-four Days, and over one hundred resources on integrating tech into education, webmaster for four blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice reviewer, adjunct professor in technology-in-education, a columnist for TeachHUB, and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. You can find her book at her publisher’s website, Structured Learning.

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Here’s a good list of ideas on how to make I-Day great for the entire family:

• Are You Going to I-Day? Part I
• Going to USNA? Ready for I-Day–Part II
• USNA I-Day For Parents
• You Know You’re a Plebe when…

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Plebe Summer Fun

When a high school graduate selects USNA, their first year begins right after high school graduation, before June is even over. It is called Plebe Summer and is filled with exercise, work, study, tests, few phone calls or IM’s. No contact with anyone.

Once they are in the Ac Year (still their first year at USNA, but classes have started), it gets easier, but not much. At the end of each school year, they get a short leave if there’s time in between other duty requirements, including summer school, summer cruise(s), working at Plebe Summer activities as Cadre or other functions.

What I’m saying is, this bias for action is a mindset that moves well beyond summers-are-for-relaxing that most teens adopt like skin. Look at Plebe Summer. It’s the last summer before college. All the Plebe’s friends are playing, beaching, vacationing, and the newest USNA Midshipmen are running with logs on their shoulders, paddling rubber boats, learning to shoot weapons, cleaning their rooms for inspection.

So, I’m thinking, high school students should try a bit of that, see if it fits them before committing. How’s this sound:

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People across the United States celebrate Flag Day on June 14 each year to honor the United States flag and to commemorate the flag’s adoption. On the same day, the United States Army celebrates its birthday.

Enjoy this slideshow of flags I’ve seen around the nation:

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Today, being D-Day, it’s time to reflect on our military. Here’s an excellent post by Michael Smart, author of the popular Bequia Mystery Series, on his favorite Navy stories:

Today, being D-Day, it’s time to reflect on our military. Here’s an excellent post by Michael Smart, author of the popular Bequia Mystery Series, on his favorite Navy stories:

“Battle Stations…”

By Michael Smart

J. Murray’s just released “Twenty-Four Days” (read my review here), the second novel in the Rowe-Delamagente series, moves much of the action to sea, taking us aboard nuclear submarines and surface combat warships. Murray’s in-depth research and knowledge of the U.S Navy is once again on display in this sequel to “To Hunt a Sub”, providing dramatic authenticity to the edgy science that buoys the plot. Reading the tense battle scenes evoked memory flashes from some of my favorite Navy and submarine stories, placing Murray in pretty lofty company. So I thought I’d share my favorites (in no order of preference) from popular novels, television series, and movies, of which Twenty-Four Days recalled fond memories. Perhaps you know of others you might wish to share and discuss.

CLIVE CUSSLER’S DIRK PITT SERIES

Clive Cussler is a truly amazing story teller, and his marine and naval scenes never fails to excite and enthrall. When I open a Dirk Pitt novel I can’t put it down.

THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER

Read more…

Michael Smart is the author of the Bequia Mystery Series set in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a tropical archipelago in the Eastern Caribbean where Michael lived and sailed for many years.

First Steps:

Depending upon where you are in the process, you may have done some of the items on this list. Skip them. Be happy you’re done. Move on to the next:

If you’re serious about attending the USNA or any other military academy, buy a few books (or check them out of the library) on the process. It’s worth the investment in time and money because if you pursue this dream, you will be investing much more before achieving your goal. Better to make sure this is the direction you want to go.

Here are two books to get you started:

• Building a Midshipman: How to Crack the USNA Application–

From the perspective of a woman who was accepted and how she accomplished it. Down-to earth, personal, definitely not dry, and should give confidence to any teen, male or female, considering a military academy their first choice college.

• The Naval Academy Candidate Book: How to Prepare, How to Get In, How to Survive

A general and useful overview of the USNA application and the academy in general

Seniors–Accepted?

Permits to Report are going out until I-Day. If you get one, notify the Admissions Office of your intention to accept or decline immediately.

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update
From the USNA website:

The Naval Academy Preparatory School (NAPS) is located on Naval Station Newport in historic Newport, Rhode Island. The Naval Academy Preparatory School is the Navy’s fourth oldest school; only the Naval Academy, Naval War College, and Naval Post Graduate School are older.

The mission of the Naval Academy Preparatory School is to enhance midshipman candidates’ moral, mental, and physical foundations to prepare them for success at the U.S. Naval Academy. The ten-month course of instruction at NAPS, lasting from August through May, emphasizes preparation in English Composition, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, and Information Technology.

Demanding military, physical and character development programs complement the academic preparation to fully prepare students for the challenges of life at a service academy. As part of the physical development program, NAPS offers a varsity athletic program that competes against other preparatory schools, junior colleges and college junior varsity teams.

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The USNA Herndon Monument is a 21-foot-tall grey granite obelisk. It was erected in memory of Captain William Lewis Herndon, who courageously decided to go down with his ship, SS Central America, and the men left aboard rather than save himself on September 12, 1857.

Every year–this year, May 22nd, 2017 at 10:30 am–it is coated in lard and the USNA Plebes try to climb it using a mixture of ingenuity, physics, teamwork, and muscles. The goal: Place their cover on the top.

Here are some images from my daughter’s year:

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And her are some videos that do a darn good job of describing it:

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Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy, and the thrillers, To Hunt a Sub and  Twenty-four Days. She is also the author/editor of over a hundred books on integrating tech into education, adjunct professor of technology in education, webmaster for four blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice book reviewer,  a columnist for TeachHUB, monthly contributor to Today’s Author and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. You can find her books at her publisher’s website, Structured Learning.

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update

More than half  USNA graduates matriculate to the Surface Warfare community where they become Surface Warfare Officers onboard Aircraft Carriers, Cruisers, Destroyers, Frigates, Dock landing ships, and other surface vessels, and manage professional and highly trained Sailors to maintain and operate the ship’s systems.

What do they do? Surface Warfare Officers are involved in virtually every aspect of Navy missions. Antisubmarine warfare, anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare, land attack, theatre air missile defense, support for Marine Corps and Navy Special Warfare (SEAL) missions, communications, damage control, and shipboard management all rely on the knowledge and expertise of Officers in the Surface Warfare community. During a sea tour, Surface Warfare Officers are in charge of any number of shipboard operations and activities and work with or within the following forces:

• Aircraft Carrier Forces: Provide and coordinate air defense from conventional and nuclear-powered carriers
• Cruiser-Destroyer Forces: Provide ship attack and defense measures with a wide array of missile and fire power capabilities providing antiair, submarine, and surface warfare support
• Amphibious Forces: Embark and transport vehicles, cargo, and troops for amphibious assault operations
• Combat-Logistics Forces: Provide combatant ships with fuel, ammunition, food and supplies, and provide repair, maintenance, and rescue capabilities through fleet support ships
• Mine Warfare Forces: Detect, identify, and neutralize threats to maritime forces from hostile use of mines

Shore duty may involve a tour-of-duty at the Pentagon, a student assignment at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, or command and management positions at shore bases and stations across the globe.

Before the Surface Warfare Officer earns his/her pin (showing s/he has accomplished all hurdles toward this moniker), they attend the Surface Warfare Officers School (SWOS) located in Newport, R.I., where they are trained to navigate a virtual vessel through any number of simulated hazards in the school’s full-mission bridge.

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Many Americans celebrate Armed Forces Day annually on the third Saturday of May. It is a day to pay tribute to men and women who serve the United States’ armed forces. Armed Forces Day is also part of Armed Forces Week, which begins on the second Saturday of May.

Date

This week, my wonderful efriends here in the blogosphere are helping me get the word out about my second novel, Twenty-four Days:

A former SEAL, a brilliant scientist, a love-besotted nerd, and a quirky AI have twenty-four days to stop a terrorist attack. The problems: They don’t know what it is, where it is, or who’s involved.

What sets this story apart from other thrillers is the edgy science used to build the drama, the creative thinking that unravels the deadly plot, and the sentient artificial intelligence who thinks he’s human. And for us Navy folk: much of the setting is on a US warship, the USS Bunker Hill, with a cameo from the famous F-15 Eagle:

I’ll be visiting blogs to chat about the book, the process, and anything else on their minds. Some of the questions we’ll cover:

1. Can science make a warship invisible? 
2. Exactly how cool is Otto, the AI? 
3. What is an ‘AI’?
4. What pick-up line does the story’s geek,  Eitan Sun, use to attract his first wife? 
5. Are there drones in this book? 
6. Is the submarine’s invisibility shield like the cloak in Harry Potter? 
7. Do you have to read the prequel, To Hunt a Sub, to understand this book?
8. How does Otto find submarines anywhere in the world? 
9. Is this a romantic thriller? 
10. Is the tech included in the book really possible? 
11. When is Book 3 in the Rowe-Delamagente series out?

Here’s the schedule of who’ll I’ll visit. I haven’t included the question–you’ll just have to drop in to see the answer:

	Blog	Blogger’s Books
5/15/2017	Michael W Smart	Amazon page
5/15/2017	Jessica Marie Baumgartner	Amazon page
5/16/2017	Stephanie Faris	Webpage with books
5/16/2017	D. Wallace Peach	Catling’s Bane
5/17/2017	Juneta Key
5/17/2017	Ken Meyer
5/18/2017	Grace Allison	Do You Have a Dream?
5/19/2017	Andrew
5/19/2017	M. C. Tuggle
5/19/2017	Jill Weatherholt	Second Chance Romance
5/19/2017	Tyrean	The Champion Trilogy
5/19/2017	Heather Erickson	Facing Cancer as a Friend
5/20/2017	Carolyn Paul Branch	Tangled Roots
5/21/2017	Betsy Kerekes	101 Tips for a Happier Marriage
5/21/2017	Robbie	Sir Chocolate and the Sugar Dough Bees Story and Cookbook
5/22/2017	Glynis Jolly
5/22/2017	Erika Beebe
5/22/2017	C. Lee McKenzie	Double Negative
5/22/2017	Sharon Bonin-Pratt
5/22/2017	Bish Denham	Amazon page
5/23/2017	Cathleen Townsend	Dragon Hoard and Other Tales of Faerie
5/24/2017	Chemist Ken
5/25/2017	Wendy Unsworth	Amazon page
5/25/2017	Rob Akers
5/26/2017	Don Massenzio	Amazon page
5/27/2017	Annika Perry
5/28/2017	Jean Davis	Sahmara
5/29/2017	Jennifer Kelland Perry	Calmer Secrets
5/31/2017	Carol Balawyder	Amazon page
6/4/2017	Ronel Janse van Vuuren
6/9/2017	DG Kaye	Debbie’s Amazon page
6/16/2017	Laurie Rand

Please join me whenever you can. I’d love to see you.

Synopsis of Twenty-four Days:

May 19-26, 2017 (Parent packages to be mailed in early March)

From USNA Website:

Please see the Commissioning Week Schedule of Events

Gate Information During Commissioning Week:

• Gate 1 – vehicular access from 6 a.m.-10 p.m. (1:00 a.m. on Fri & Sat)
• Gate 1 – pedestrian access from 5 a.m.-midnight (2:00 a.m. on Fri & Sat)
• Gate 3 – vehicular access from 6 a.m.-9 a.m./egress 3:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m. Tue – Fri ONLY
• Gate 3 – pedestrian access from 6 a.m.- 10 p.m.
• Gate 8 – pedestrian/vehicular access 24 hours

View Graduation On Your Computer

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I love America. I love our military. I love my Navy daughter and my Army son.

First Steps:

Depending upon where you are in the process, you may have done some of the items on this list. Skip them. Be happy you’re done. Move on to the next:

If you’re serious about attending the USNA or any other military academy, buy a few books (or check them out of the library) on the process. It’s worth the investment in time and money because if you pursue this dream, you will be investing much more before achieving your goal. Better to make sure this is the direction you want to go.

Here are two books to get you started:

• Building a Midshipman: How to Crack the USNA Application–

From the perspective of a woman who was accepted and how she accomplished it. Down-to earth, personal, definitely not dry, and should give confidence to any teen, male or female, considering a military academy their first choice college.

First Steps:

Depending upon where you are in the process, you may have done some of the items on this list. Skip them. Be happy you’re done. Move on to the next

If you’re serious about attending the USNA or any other military academy, buy a few books (or check them out of the library) on the process. It’s worth the investment because if you pursue this dream, you will be investing much more of your time and money before you achieve your goal. Better to make sure this is the direction you want to go.

Here are two books to get you started:

• Building a Midshipman: How to Crack the USNA Application–

From the perspective of a woman who was accepted and how she accomplished it. Down-to earth, personal, definitely not dry, and should give confidence to any teen, male or female, considering a military academy their first choice college.

First Steps:

Depending upon where you are in the process, you may have done some of the items on this list. Skip them. Be happy you’re done. Move on to the next

If you’re serious about attending the USNA or any other military academy, buy a few books (or check them out of the library) on the process. It’s worth the investment because if you pursue this dream, you will be investing much more of your time and money before you achieve your goal. Better to make sure this is the direction you want to go.

Here are two books to get you started:

• Building a Midshipman: How to Crack the USNA Application–

From the perspective of a woman who was accepted and how she accomplished it. Down-to earth, personal, definitely not dry, and should give confidence to any teen, male or female, considering a military academy their first choice college.

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Summer STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics), is a week-long, overnight camp at USNA each June. It is available to students who are currently in the 8th-10th grades.

Here’s information from the USNA website:

Engineering is all about creating, building, and making things better! So what does it take to be an engineer? If you like math and science, you are off to a great start. If you enjoy discovering new things, solving problems, and learning how things work – even better! Creativity, persistence, and the desire to make the world a better place are also important qualities. Becoming an engineer requires hard work and a good education. Our summer program will be a great start to your career in science and engineering.

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I post this every year, but it drives home the point that Naval Academy applicants must be cerebral–because your future classmates will be. Look at this:

If you’re applying to USNA, do you wonder how you’ll spend Valentine’s Day? Here’s what some of them did (I love these guys):