Headed for USNA? Prepare Yourself–Freshman Year HS

By now, you’ve finished your Congressional Interview, maybe even your B&G Interview.  You’ve attended or are preparing for a Candidate Weekend Visit. You have one big job remaining: Keep your grades solid, your attitude positive, and your goals clear. Here’s how:

• Headed for USNA? Prepare Yourself Sophomore Year HS

• Want to Attend USNA? Prepare Yourself Junior Year HS

• Headed for USNA? Prepare Yourself–Senior Year

• What’s it Like to Parent a Midshipman?

Now check December’s ToDo list to see if you’re up to date:

December To Do List for USNA Applicants

More articles worth reading:

• Christmas Like a Soldier
• A Soldier’s Christmas Poem

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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 (starring the USS Bunker Hill), over one hundred resources on integrating tech into education, webmaster for four blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice, adjunct professor at UC and CSU, a columnist for TeachHUB,  and mother of a LT CDR in the Navy and a SGT in the Army. 

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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

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 as their college of choice.

More articles worth reading:

Here are important events you’ll want to read about in January:

• You Know You’re a Plebe Parent if…
• Plebe Parent Weekend–August
• Plebe Parent Weekend is Past; Reform is Coming
• USNA Midshipmen Sign 2-for-7 Contract

Now check January’s ToDo list to see if you’re up to date:

January To Do List for USNA Applicants

• Navy Colors Born August 27th
• Popular Excuses for NOT attending USNA
• Give Me a Midshipman Parent and I’ll Give you a Navy Football Fan
• Navajo Code Talkers Day

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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 (starring the USS Bunker Hill), 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.

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

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 as their college of choice.

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I’ll be taking a week (or so) off–until after the New Year–to rework my website, work on writing projects with a deadline, and wish my military children could be with me, here. I may drop in on you-all as you enjoy your holidays, but mostly I’ll be regenerating.

I wish you a wonderful season, safe and filled with family.

See you shortly!

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This is one of the most popular military Christmas poems I’ve seen. Here’s it’s history, from “A Soldier’s Silent Night”:

“The true story is that while a Lance Corporal serving as Battalion Counter Sniper at the Marine Barracks 8th & I, Washington, D.C., under Commandant P.X. Kelly and Battalion Commander D.J. Myers (in 1986), I wrote this poem to hang on the door of the gym in the BEQ. When Colonel Myers came upon it, he read it and immediately had copies sent to each department at the Barracks and promptly dismissed the entire Battalion early for Christmas leave. The poem was placed that day in the Marine Corps Gazette, distributed worldwide and later submitted to Leatherneck Magazine.”

Schmidt’s original version, entitled “Merry Christmas, My Friend,” was published in Leatherneck (Magazine of the Marines) in December, 1991.

As Leatherneck wrote of the poem’s author in 2003:

“‘Merry Christmas, My Friend,'” has been a holiday favorite among ‘leatherneckphiles’ for nearly the time it takes to complete a Marine Corps career. Few, however, know who wrote it and when. Former Corporal James M. Schmidt, stationed at Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., pounded it out over 17 years ago on a typewriter while awaiting the commanding officer’s Christmas holiday decorations inspection…while other leathernecks strung lights for the Barracks’ annual Christmas decoration contest, Schmidt contributed his poem to his section.”

A Game of Honor

December 8th, 2018 is the 119th annual Army-Navy Game, at noon in Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia PA, noon PDT.

This is an American college football rivalry game between the teams of the Black Knights of the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point and the Midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy (USNA) at Annapolis and has come to embody the spirit of the  United States Armed Forces. Navy leads the all-time series 60-51-7. Army won last season’s meeting 14-13.

Here’s a video that embodies the rivalry. Watch it, then watch the game:

Here are Army-Navy Spirit Spots:

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National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, which is annually on December 7, commemorates the attack on Pearl Harbor, in Hawaii, during World War II. Many American servicemen and women lost their lives or were injured on December 7, 1941. National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is also referred to as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day or Pearl Harbor Day.

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

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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 (starring the USS Bunker Hill). 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,  and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. She is the parent of a Naval Officer and an Army Sergeant. 

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 as their college of choice.

More articles worth reading:

Here are important events you’ll want to read about in November:

• November is Warrior Care Month
• November 10th: Happy Birthday USMC!
• November 11: Veteran’s Day
• What’s a Candidate Weekend Visit?

Now check November’s ToDo list to see if you’re up to date (available: Nov. 6th):

November To Do List for USNA Applicants

39 Reasons to Love the Marine Corps

Happy Thanksgiving!

Qualifications of a Naval Officer

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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 (starring the USS Bunker Hill), 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.

More articles worth reading:

Here are important events you’ll want to read about in October:

• October 10th: Happy Birthday, USNA!
• October 13th: Happy Birthday to the World’s Greatest Navy!

Now check October’s ToDo list to see if you’re up to date:

October To Do List for USNA Applicants

• Navy Colors Born August 27th
• Popular Excuses for NOT attending USNA
• Give Me a Midshipman Parent and I’ll Give you a Navy Football Fan
• Navajo Code Talkers Day

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 as their college of choice.

• 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–Check for Letter of Assurance

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 high school student who was accepted. Down-to earth, personal, definitely not dry, and should give confidence to any teen, male or female, considering a military academy as their college of choice.

More articles worth reading:

Here are important events you’ll want to read about in September:

• The Congressional Interview
• The Congressional Interview–Part I
• How to Prepare for the Congressional Interview–Part II
• How to Prepare for the Congressional Interview–Part III
• The Day Navy Colors Were Born
• Labor Day: Honor American Warriors
• 9-11: We Remember
• POW/MIA Recognition Day
• Constitution Day!

Now check September’s ToDo list to see if you’re up to date:

September To Do List for USNA Applicants

• 5 Popular Excuses for NOT Attending USNA
• 33 Rules (aka Rates) Plebes Must Follow
• Like a Chief!
• Checklist: Physical Qualifications for USNA Acceptance

More articles worth reading:

Here are important events you’ll want to read about in August:

• You Know You’re a Plebe Parent if…
• Plebe Parent Weekend–August
• Plebe Parent Weekend is Past; Reform is Coming
• USNA Midshipmen Sign 2-for-7 Contract

• Navy Colors Born August 27th
• Popular Excuses for NOT attending USNA
• Give Me a Midshipman Parent and I’ll Give you a Navy Football Fan
• Navajo Code Talkers Day

---

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 (starring the USS Bunker Hill), 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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Purple Heart Day is an observance that commemorates the creation of the Purple Heart Medal in 1782. It is August 5th.

For more on Purple Heart Day, click.

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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, and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. You can find her books at her publisher’s website, Structured Learning.

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—

Share this:

Happy 4th of July, America!

Share this:

By now, you’ve attended a Candidate Weekend Visit and are preparing for NASS. Here’s what’s happening in July:

• Plebe Summer Posts
• July 25, 1968: Remember the Pueblo Entered National Lexicon
• 23 Common Sense Rules to Thrive in the Military

 

 

You have one more big job: Keep your grades solid, your attitude positive, and your goals clear. Here’s how:

• Headed for USNA? Prepare Yourself–Freshman Year HS
• Headed for USNA? Prepare Yourself Sophomore Year HS
• Want to Attend USNA? Prepare Yourself Junior Year HS
• Headed for USNA? Prepare Yourself–Senior Year
• What’s it Like to Parent a Midshipman?

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—