Plebe Arrival - Induction Day

The candidates report to the Alumni Hall at various assigned times during the morning (beginning at 6:00 a.m. and every half hour until around 9:00 a.m.). They have been divided into companies and platoons by the computer before arriving. The candidates are divided into squads led by upperclassmen (first and second class) who take them through dozens of stations. Alumni Hall resembles a huge factory on "I-Day." Civilians walk in the front door and future midshipmen march out of another where they board busses and are transported to Bancroft Hall. The candidates are dressed in partial uniform, with a bag over their shoulder, a "dixie cup" on their head, and a USNA T-shirt. It is quite a transformation!

The first stop in Alumni Hall is for an initial uniform issue: the candidates are issued several hundreds dollars worth of uniforms. Other stops include medical and dental areas for shots and examinations, and the barbershop for a nice shaved (for the men) or a short plebe haircut (for the women). Plebes get used to about one haircut each week henceforth. On parents weekend in August, many of the female Midshipmen make appointments at the nearby mall to repair the more creative hair styles received on I-Day. Then the candidates are bussed to their company area, assigned rooms, and have their first lunch in King Hall. It is in their company area that they have the pleasure of meeting the first and second that will lead them for the first half of the summer. During the first day, a lot of time is devoted to the folding and refolding of clothes, and marching - a lot of marching. By this time, it is late afternoon and the candidates form up for their big swearing-in ceremony.

Following the ceremony, the new plebes have about 20 minutes to say good-bye to their families before returning to Mother B and get their first taste of what being a plebe is really like. There is so much to learn, so much to do, and so many upper class to please. It is almost overwhelming. Most plebes collapse into bed that night thinking "What am I doing here?" That continues to be a question (sometimes up until graduation) that is answered in a variety of ways, usually one day at a time.