Every summer all mids do the same things, but on a staggered basis due to numbers. This “Preparation for Excellence” program has been in effect since 1991.

Third Class Training:

The required training block is a "gray hull cruise," wherein the midshipman is sent to a Fleet unit to shadow an enlisted person, usually a second-class petty officer, for one month to learn about those they will be leading in a few short years. The other block can be a 3-week cruise on the Yard Patrol crafts wherein they will use the lessons of navigation they learned in class, but they also manage all phases of shipboard life from standing watches to preparing meals. Normally the YPs go from Greenport, NY to Norfolk, VA.
They may also participate in an additional cruise on on of the Navy's 44-ft sloops or summer seminar detail. 

Second Class Training:

PROTRAMID is mandatory.  This is a a three week program with a week in each of the three major warfare specialties: submarines, in Kings Bay, GA; aviation in Pensacola, FL; and Marines in Quantico, VA.  Each warfare specialty tries to show the mids what its service does, while giving them hands-on training.

The second half of the summer may include:  foreign immersion opportunities, airborne / air assault school with the Army, SUBTRAMID, sailing and weapons detail, and XO on 44s.

First Class Training:

First class summer training includes a four week block devoted to a surface cruise, aviation, or submarine cruise, or the Leatherneck program with the Marines. Normally at this point in a mid’s career, he or she is focused on a particular career choice, and this is the time to clarify that choice by spending a month in that warfare community. The second part of the summer can be plebe detail, a sailing cruise (CSTS) or YP detail. A firstie can also choose a warfare elective (like jump or scuba school) or a supervised internship which focuses on either academic or military service-related areas. Viewed as a reward for the years already invested in training, this opportunity requires the mid to propose the internship site and go through the proper channels for approval.

Summer Opportunities:

All midshipmen have the required facets of their summer training as specified above. Even with these requirements, there are additional weeks for summer leave time. Some mids, however, volunteer to give up their summer leave in order to further themselves academically and/or professionally. Currently the following available summer programs are:

Summer School – Extra instruction is available all four years, whether it is used for those who want to get ahead of their matrix or those who are required to retake a course.

Special Cruises – Instead of taking regular cruises, mids can take foreign exchange cruises with other navies around the world. There are also yawl cruises where mids sail to Bermuda and up and down the East Coast.

Airborne Training – Mids go through pre-airborne training at the Academy in the spring and are then screened for Airborne School at Fort Benning, GA. Here they go through an intense three week course, culminating in five static line jumps, and receive their jump wings.

Scuba School – After a screening process at the Academy, mids are able to go to a rigorous scuba school and receive military qualifications as scuba divers.