Cruise Descriptions
Midshipmen 2001 Summer Cruise
U.S.S. Blueridge
YP Cruise 2002
YP Cruise 2002Surface Cruise - Assignment to a surface cruise entails living and working on a Navy ship. As a first class, you will be assigned a junior officer running mate, who will expose you to the duties and responsibilities of a junior surface warfare officer. As a second class on cruise you will wear dungarees and be assigned to a petty officer running mate who will expose you to the duties and responsibilities of the junior enlisted. You will rotate between the ship’s departments, including engineering, combat systems, operations, deck and navigation/admin. During your cruise you will gain insight into the daily shipboard routine which includes standing under instruction watches, both inport and underway, as well as participating in any special evolutions such as underway replenishment, gunnery exercises, small boat operations, engineering drills, damage control drills and anchoring.
Submarine Cruise - Assignment to a submarine cruise entails living and working on either a fast attack or ballistic missile submarine. As a first class, you will be assigned a junior officer running mate, who will expose you to the duties and responsibilities of a junior submarine warfare officer. As a second class you will be assigned a petty officer running mate who will expose you to the duties and responsibilities of the junior enlisted. It is likely that you will rotate between the ship’s departments, including engineering, weapons, and navigation/operations. While in each department you will gain insight to the daily shipboard routine, maintenance, work center organization, and division officer administration. Additionally, you will be expected to stand under instruction watches, both inport and underway, as well as during any special evolution such as engineering drills, and surfacing and submerging the boat.
Aviation Cruise - Assignment to a aviation cruise in most cases involves a four week experience with a shore based squadron. Midshipmen are also assigned to ships, with aviators assigned to ships company, such as a carrier or a large deck amphib. The goal is to understand the role of a junior aviation qualified officer. If assigned to a shore based squadron, flight time and exposure to the cockpit in highly encouraged, but not mandatory. There are many duties and responsibilities of the junior aviator, such as maintenance, training and administration that you will experience, that do not involve flying.
Leatherneck - Leatherneck is a four week program conducted by the Marines at The Basic School, in Quantico, VA. While there, you will learn the basics of amphibious assault and ground warfare. You will be given the opportunity to develop leadership skill as a member and leader of individual fire teams. Leatherneck is a prerequisite for Fleet Marine Force training.
Minibuds - Mini-buds is a physically rigorous three week training course at the basic underwater demolition school in Coronado, CA. Here midshipmen are exposed to the basics of the special operations, or SEAL community. In addition to the three week training course, midshipmen are assigned for a week to special operations unit, such as a SEAL team or small boat unit. Assignment to Mini-buds is only made after successful completion of a screening process.Training Descriptions
Fleet Marine Force - After completion of Leatherneck, midshipmen can elect to spend an additional four weeks training with the Marine Corps. Midshipmen are assigned to a Marine ground unit for two weeks, followed by two weeks with a Marine aviation unit.
YP Cruise - YP cruise is a one week pre-underway training phase, followed by 2 weeks of underway training onboard one of the Academy’s 110 foot yard patrol crafts. As a first class, you act as a division officer, responsible for the third class midshipmen assigned to the YP. You will oversee the daily routine, and ensure training is progressing. As a third class, this is your first exposure to life at sea. You will get a chance to put navigation and ship handling fundamentals learned in the classroom to actual use. Each underway phase includes a port visit to New York City and Boston, MA.
CSTS Cruise - A CSTS cruise is spent onboard one of the Naval Academy’s 44 foot sailing vessels. You will sail up and down the east coast to ports such as Portsmouth, NH, and Newport, RI. As one of the two first class on board you will be responsible for a watch section of third class midshipmen. As third class you will be integral in the sailing and navigation of the vessel. Note that extensive training during the academic year is required for first class midshipmen.
PROTRAMID - If not assigned to Plebe detail, as a second class you will attend PROTRAMID. It consists of three weeks on training, which includes an in-depth introduction to the aviation, submarine, and Marine Corps communities. One week is spent in Pensacola, Fl with the aviation training wing, another in Kings Bay, GA at the Trident Submarine training facility and a third week in Quantico, Va training with the Marines.
USCG EAGLE Cruise - A select number of first and third class midshipmen will have the opportunity to sail on the U. S. Coast Guard Academy’s training vessel. EAGLE. The tall ship is underway for approximately 4 weeks traveling up and down the east coast and to ports in Europe.
Navy Tactical Training - NTT is a three week training activity conducted during the third class summer. Midshipmen are exposed to Marine Corps tactics, SEAL team operations and inter-service briefs and demonstrations.
