What new US Merchant Marine Academy plebes go through on day one
The article provides an inside look at the 16-day 'indoctrination' process for new plebes at the US Merchant Marine Academy. It details the intense physical and mental training required to prepare students for careers as licensed officers on commercial and military vessels.
Why it matters
It highlights the rigorous training pipeline for civilian mariners who serve as a critical component of the US military supply chain during wartime.
We got an inside look at what it's like on the first day for new plebes at the US Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. 287 plebe candidates arrived on campus for the beginning of "indoctrination," a 16-day period full of intense mental and physical tests. During our visit, we saw plebe candidates getting their heads shaved, learning proper movements and responses, and enduring an event known as "the Grinder," where their instructional cadre commands and corrects them with loud intensity.
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