The USNA Parents Club of New Jersey extends a very warm welcome to the new midshipmen, their family, and friends. Whether your midshipman is coming directly from high school, from NAPS, from the Foundation, or from another college, we are happy to have you on board. We are sure that you have been a highly supportive family, helping your new midshipman to this stage in his or her life. Your continued love, support, and understanding are needed while your young person makes the transition from civilian or enlisted, to plebe, upperclassman, and finally, Naval or Marine Corps Officer. The Naval Academy requirements are much higher, and include more varied accomplishments, than other colleges; however, you will find that the opportunities and rewards are much greater as well.

You will be awed, not only by the impressive skills your mid will develop, but also by the Academy’s commitment to the midshipmen who learn as well as earn independence. However, the mids will still need their families’ support and more importantly, their families’ willingness to listen, particularly in the first year. We, as a Club, are here to offer support for you as well as your mid. So, do call on other Club members for advice, support, or just for a sympathetic ear. Only other mid parents can fully understand the range of emotions that are just beginning for you. It is truly a four year roller coaster ride: but just as a roller coaster starts with a slow, uphill climb, continues on its up, down, twisted path, it ends with laughter and enjoyment.

Try to remember that despite your support, the Naval Academy is not for everyone. Each mid must want to succeed on his own. Desire is the only thing that the Academy does not issue and cannot quantify through their screening process.

Your mid is embarking on “four years together by the bay”, four of the most challenging and wonderful years of his life which pass by faster than you can originally imagine. ENJOY THEM TOGETHER!

USNA-NET-  Another service available to parents of midshipmen is USNA-Net. It is a free email service that allows parents to share experiences, ask questions of other parents, and share advice about anything and everything that is Navy parenting related. It has a special service (USNA-Plebe) specifically designed to assist plebe parents in their first year. See the website for information and to join.  USNA-NET is the host of our NJ Parents Club website.  They provide this service to parent clubs for free.  Mike and Sandi Zets are the webmasters of that site.  Please take the time to jump over to that site. It is an amazing resource for all parents of Midshipmen.

MIDSHIPMEN RANKS
Plebe
Plebe is short for “plebian”, from the Latin, meaning “a member of the ancient Roman lower class or common people.”

Third Class
3/C midshipmen are informally called “youngsters”; they help the plebes with their professional development.

Second Class
2/C midshipmen serve as “detailers” to make sure the plebes are fully indoctrinated into the Academy system. They are not known for their plebe compassion.

First Class
1/C are leaders throughout the Brigade; depending on their position and rank, their shoulder-boards will have anywhere from one stripe to the six stripes of the Brigade Commander.  We fondly refer to them as "firsties".