NStar Articles

Young people who choose to serve their country in the United States military might enlist after high school or enter an officer candidate program after earning a 4-year college degree.  But a select few spend their high school years building an outstanding record of achievement that will make them competitive for an appointment to one of the nation’s military service academies.

It’s been a surprisingly warm winter around the Naval Academy. In the fall we all prepped for the Dark Ages and cold weather at USNA by getting our hands on warm gloves, cozy hats, and thick jackets. We’re all starting to realize we aren’t going to need them for much longer considering it’s been a warm 40-50 degrees over the last couple months. There have been cooler days, but overall we haven’t needed to thoroughly bundle up our children too much this year like we did last year. There’s been no shoveling snow by the midshipmen - or grumpy teenagers - around Annapolis, and I don’t either of them are too upset about that. 

Sir Winston Churchill once famously stated, “Of all the branches of the men in the forces there is none which shows more devotion and faces grimmer perils than the submariners.”

This brave fighting force is the silent service, requiring highly educated and qualified personnel to staff and operate its complex weapons systems undersea. Life aboard these platforms is demanding. Submariners forgo fresh air and natural light, working and living in close quarters to perform their critical duties beneath the seas. The submarine community and its history are celebrated each year at the Submarine Birthday Ball.