Inside the Naval Academy: Where Even Walking Has Rules

At the United States Naval Academy, even walking comes with rules.

First-year midshipmen, known as "plebes," follow regulations dictating how to walk, eat, speak, and countless other expectations as part of their transition from civilians to officers in the US Navy and the US Marine Corps. This decorum, tied to a deep sense of duty and pride in long-held military traditions, was on full display when I visited the 338-acre waterfront campus in Annapolis, Maryland. The grand architecture, historic rituals, and unfailingly polite greetings from uniformed service members created a palpably reverential atmosphere. Even visitors like me are tasked with upholding certain standards, with signs that forbid jogging, biking, or walking pets in designated ceremonial areas.

I toured the United States Naval Academy in August during Plebe Parents Weekend, when plebes complete their all-consuming, seven-week basic training and reunite with loved ones before the start of the academic year. The 90-minute public tour brings visitors inside a sports complex, the world's largest dormitory, and the Naval Academy's landmark chapel. The most memorable part of my visit came after the tour was over.

The Naval Academy is ranked No. 1 in US News and World Report's list of Top Public Schools. Graduates of the prestigious four-year program earn a Bachelor of Science degree as well as a military rank – ensign in the Navy or second lieutenant in the Marine Corps – which are the lowest officer ranks. Most students study some form of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, the Naval Academy also offers degrees in English, history, and political science.

To enroll, applicants must be US citizens between the ages of 17 and 23 and be unmarried with no dependent children. They must also obtain a letter of nomination from an official source, such as a member of Congress or the vice president of the United States, and pass physical, medical, and academic examinations. The acceptance rate is about 9%. The Class of 2030 received 16,814 applicants for a total projected class size of 1,204 midshipmen. As of 2024, the student body was around 70% male and 30% female. Tuition is covered by the Navy. Graduates are required to serve at least five years on active duty in the Navy or Marine Corps.

The Naval Academy was established on the former site of Fort Severn, an Army post named for the Severn River on which it sits. The curriculum includes a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on experience at sea.

I booked the 90-minute historical walking tour through Naval Academy Tourism for $19 per adult ticket. The grounds are also open to members of the public who are US citizens, provided they show a REAL ID and go through security at the gate. At the Naval Academy, the traditional greeting is "Welcome aboard!" Maritime terminology is the norm – floors are called decks, walls are known as bulkheads, and stairs are referred to as ladders, just as they would be on Navy ships. Students are called midshipmen, a term dating back to the English Royal Navy in the 1600s.

Goats have a long history on board naval ships. The chief petty officers' quarters are still referred to as "the goat locker." In addition to a typical sports mascot character costume depicting Bill the Goat, there is also a real, live goat that gets draped in a Navy blanket for sporting events. The title of Bill the Goat has been passed down from goat to goat; the current mascot holds the distinction of being Bill XXXVIII, or the 38th.

Applicants don't need to know how to swim to be accepted to the Naval Academy, by the end of their junior year, midshipmen must be able to swim 700 meters in less than 30 minutes while wearing a uniform. Midshipmen used to be required to jump off the 10-meter platform with correct form – straight down with crossed arms and pointed toes – to graduate. Instead, they're now graded based on the height of the platform they jump from: 10 meters for an A, 7.5 meters for a B, and 5 meters for a C.

The rivalry between the two military branches dates back generations, with the first Army-Navy football game held in 1890. Whenever the Naval Academy's football team defeats West Point, the New York academy for training US Army officers, the game ball is spray-painted gold, inscribed with the dates of the match, and placed in a display case in Lejeune Hall. Our tour guide made sure to point out the most recent addition from the past season, when the Navy Midshipmen defeated the Army Black Knights 17-16.

The Naval Academy features a rotating roster of active-duty faculty members who are stationed on campus for two to four years before returning to the fleet. The Naval Academy's Commandant of Midshipmen, who functions as the dean of students, lives in a 10,000-square-foot home on Porter Road with seven bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms, and 13-foot ceilings.

Built in 1903, Dahlgren Hall was the first building completed as part of Flagg's renovations. Built to resemble a Paris train station, it is named for Rear Adm. John A. Dahlgren, a Civil War military leader known as the "father of American naval ordnance" for founding the Navy's Ordnance Department. Dahlgren Hall has hosted sporting events, ceremonies, and dances, and it even housed an indoor ice-skating rink from 1974 to 2006. When I visited during Plebe Parents Weekend, Dahlgren Hall hosted tables with information about student services and a place to purchase meal tickets to dine in King Hall.

Orville Wright sent the Wright Model B-1 aircraft to what was then the Naval Academy's armory in 1911. The plane's 60-horsepower engine was too weak to take off on its own, so pioneering naval aviator Lt. John Rodgers took flight with the help of midshipmen who tied ropes to the plane and ran. The plane reached an altitude of 500 feet and flew for 15 minutes.

Commemorating the centennial of the US Submarine Force in 2000, the monument features faces engraved in the waves representing those on "eternal patrol," the traditional term for submariners lost at sea.

Designed by Flagg, Bancroft Hall features eight wings and houses all 4,400 midshipmen during their four years of study. During their first year at the Naval Academy, plebes are not allowed to walk through the center door. In addition to dormitories, Bancroft Hall also houses student services such as a uniform store, bookstore, tailor, cobbler, laundry rooms, and dental and medical facilities.

Midshipmen are considered to hold a non-combat role in the military and are paid a salary of $1,273.20 per month. All of their expenses, including room, board, uniforms, and books, come out of their salary, and the remaining money is given as a stipend – $100 per month during Plebe Summer and $200 per month during the rest of their first year. Rooms can have between two and five midshipmen. While the rooms are single-sex, the dorms are co-ed. In the dorms, midshipmen must store their uniforms and shoes in color order from light to dark, and their rooms are inspected for tidiness.

The figurehead depicts Delaware Native American chief Tamanend, who signed a peace treaty with William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania. The statue has also been referred to as Tecumseh, a Shawnee leader who was misidentified as the subject of the piece. The original wooden bust of Tamanend served as the figurehead of the USS Delaware, which was scuttled, or intentionally sunk, during the Civil War to prevent it from being captured. The figurehead was salvaged from the wreck and displayed at the Naval Academy until the class of 1891 created a bronze version that could better withstand the elements. Legend has it that flipping a penny into Tamanend's quiver of arrows can help midshipmen secure a passing grade, resulting in the statue's nickname of "God of the 'C.'"

In a ritual marking the end of their plebe status, plebes form a human pyramid to scale the monument and place a hat, known as a "dixie cup," on top. The catch: the monument is coated with grease, and the plebes are shot with water cannons as they attempt the feat. The longest-ever Herndon climb took over four hours.

In order to train future leaders, the Naval Academy first teaches midshipmen how to follow orders without question. Plebes follow a strict code of conduct during their first year. In addition to being barred from curved pathways on campus, plebes are required to "square their walk," meaning they must make only 90-degree turns. Rule violations can result in disciplinary actions.

The chapel, a National Historic Landmark, was also designed by Flagg and dedicated in 1908. Its formerly green oxidized copper dome was replaced in 2020. The stained-glass windows lining the walls, which are gifts from previous classes, depict biblical references to the sea. The pew always features fresh flowers, and its candle is lit during services. There are also windows honoring naval leaders such as Adm. David Glasgow Farragut and former Naval Academy superintendent Adm. David Dixon Porter. A former Royal Navy member born in Scotland in 1747, Jones joined the Continental Navy and helped defeat the British in the War of Independence. He is credited with originating the battle cry, "I have not yet begun to fight!"

In the Noon Meal Formation, held every weekday aside from Wednesdays, all 4,400 midshipmen line up outside Bancroft Hall. After the Naval Academy's six battalions declare that their members are "all present or accounted for," they march in formation into King Hall for lunch, accompanied by the United States Naval Academy Band. The roots of the Noon Meal Formation date back to the Civil War. It has been held at the Naval Academy since 1905, serving as an exercise in accountability and leaving no one behind.

I was awed by how each midshipman stood absolutely still and moved in perfect synchronization.

During an intensive seven-week indoctrination program known as Plebe Summer, plebes undergo basic training before the academic year begins and are only allowed two timed phone calls home in that period. Plebe Summer concludes with Plebe Parents Weekend, where family members can witness their transformation.

All around me, the precise lines and regimented formations dissolved into a swell of hugs, tears, and delighted squeals. Surrounded by so many emotional reunions, I felt myself welling up, too.

I highly recommend booking an early tour that leaves enough time to watch the midshipmen line up and march with military precision outside Bancroft Hall at noon. It's one thing to learn about the Naval Academy's storied history. It's another to witness its legacy of high standards in action.