Sponsoring a United States Naval Academy Midshipman
by Sarah Amyot
USNA Mission “To develop Midshipmen morally, mentally, and physically and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, honor, and loyalty in order to graduate leaders who are dedicated to a career of naval service and have potential for future development in mind and character, to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship, and government.”
KEY TERMS • Midshipmen Class/Year Designations » Plebe: Freshmen » Youngster: Sophomore » Second Year: Junior » Firstie: Senior
• Midshipman or “mid”: Students on active duty in the United States Navy who attend the Naval Academy for four years, graduating with Bachelor of Science degrees and commissions as Ensigns in the Navy, or Second Lieutenants in the Marine Corps, with an expected service commitment of at least five years. • International midshipman: Naval Academy students from another country who will experience the same education and training as United States midshipmen. These individuals will return home to carry out their country’s obligated service. • Bonus midshipman: Midshipmen that a sponsor family may unofficially adopt. • Liberty: The opportunity to take a short time off that is granted when deemed appropriate by the commandant of midshipmen. benefits of a second family. I connected with five sponsors to: discover why people should sponsor, hear their experiences with sponsoring midshipmen, learn about the expectations and time commitment to being a sponsor, understand what “home away from home” means to them, and gather tips for new sponsor parents. Why become a sponsor? There are so many reasons why people sponsor! For some, it’s a chance to get a glimpse into what military life is like and simultaneously say thank you to these young individuals entering into the service. For others who have military experience, like Beth and Don Kingston, it is a chance to give back to the military community. The Kingstons have been sponsoring since 2018 and currently have seven midshipmen (six original and one
A Little History Aside from being Maryland’s capital (and the former capital of the United States), Annapolis is known for its rich maritime heritage, Black history, live music, art scene, blue crabs, and the prestigious United States Naval Academy (USNA or Naval Academy). What began in 1845 as the Naval School with seven professors and roughly 50 midshipmen, the USNA now has over 2,500 faculty and staff and serves 4,400 midshipmen. Each year, the Academy inducts approximately 1,200 plebes into a challenging and immersive experience designed to develop them as leaders over the course of four years. If you live in Annapolis, chances are you’ve run into a midshipman. You may ponder questions, such as: What happens at the Naval Academy? Why do they wear uniforms? And why are they always running? Great news! The USNA Sponsor Program offers members of the Annapolis community an opportunity to meet midshipmen and learn more about the Naval Academy. It also provides the mids an opportunity to develop and benefit from informal exchanges with civilian and military members in Annapolis and its adjacent communities. A win-win for all! Midshipmen hail from all parts of the nation and around the world. The USNA Sponsor Program helps create friendships, mentorships, and memories that span far beyond the midshipmen’s years at the Academy. Sponsor families provide a "home away from home" and support USNA mids with the
bonus). “As a military (US Army) family of over 20 years, we understand the journey these kids are embarking on and
Fun Fact: The USNA can enroll up to 60 international midshipmen, which started in 1863.
SUMMER 2024 | 7
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