Purpose

• Provide midshipmen the opportunity to apply and validate concepts learned in the classroom while gaining first-hand experience with researchers in the field.

• Academically, encourage midshipmen to become lifelong scholars.

• Professionally, expose Midshipmen to joint military operations involving Coast Guard, Air Force, New Zealand military and joint civilian-military research.

• Continue a long tradition of Navy presence in the Antarctic, beginning with RADM Richard Byrd (USNA Class of 1912) in 1929.

Personnel assigned to the U.S. Antarctic Program deploy annually to Antarctica each Austral summer.  The U.S. Navy was the major force in making the Antarctic habitable for scientists.  RADM Richard Bird (USNA Class of 1912) led the first modern Navy expedition to Antarctic in 1929; during that trip, he became the first person to fly over the South Pole, but more importantly began the task of mapping the continent.  In 1946, the Navy led the largest expedition to-date in Antarctica, Operation High Jump - 13 ships, 23 aircraft, and 4700 men.  In the International Geophysical Year, 1957-1958, the Navy established the South Pole station and RADM Dufek became the first person to stand at the bottom of the world since British CAPT Robert F. Scott in 1912 (and just the 11th overall); this began the annual Operation Deepfreeze, where the Navy provided ships and aircraft to support scientists working with the National Science Foundation; also, Navy METOC officers provided weather forecasts and analyses.

The Navy continued this support until 1998, when it was handed over to the National Science Foundation and private contractors working with the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Air National Guard, the U.S. Army, the New Zealand Air Force, and the New Zealand Army.  Today, the USNA Antarctic Internship is one of the last formal connections of the U.S. Navy with the Antarctic; Naval Academy Midshipmen carry on the tradition began by RADM Byrd.

During the internship, Navy Midshipmen work with Coast Guard Cadets participating in ship watches and assisting the Coast Guard science technicians during their transit to Antarctica.  Midshipmen also work with scientists on the icebreaker and ashore in Antarctica at McMurdo Station on research sponsored by the National Science Foundation.  Mids typically spend a total of ~14 days underway onboard a U.S. Coast Guard Icebreaker and ~21 days below the Antarctic circle.

Prerequisites for Participation

• First Class Midshipmen only.
• Selected Midshipmen (two) must successfully pass SO426 (Polar Oceanography and Meteorology) with a grade of  “B” or better prior to their first class year.
• Capstone research project must pertain to a polar meteorology or polar oceanography related research topic.
• Take final examinations one to two weeks earlier than scheduled in order to allow sufficient time to travel.
• Voluntarily forfeit Christmas leave.

Recent Antarctic Internships

• 2002-2003:  Aaron Kaiser and Meghan Poukish [Powerpoint Slides]
• 2001-2002:  Jonathan Shannon and Andrew Winberry [Powerpoint Slides]