USNA News Article

USNA Midshipmen Welcome International Mids During YP Training

August 15, 2012

By Lt. T.J. Orth

Approximately 120 midshipmen completed three weeks of at sea training Aug. 9 on board Naval Academy yard patrol craft as part of the Atlantic Professional Afloat Training program.

The training was led by instructors and qualified craftmasters from the academy’s Division of Professional Development.

The midshipmen conducted training on chart verifications and updates, damage control, standard commands, navigation, shiphandling and general seamanship proficiency. Training during the first two weeks in the Annapolis Operating Area was divided into classroom, pierside, and underway events. This training prepared each craft’s crew for a graded Out of Area Certification that tested the ability of two watchteams per craft to safely unmoor from the Naval Academy, navigate down the Severn River, and return to Dewey seawall.

During the transit, each watchteam was evaluated on their shiphandling, visual and radar navigation, overall teamwork, and bridge resource management.

The culminating exercise was an overnight underway period in the Chesapeake Bay that provided midshipmen the opportunity to use and improve upon skills learned during in-port and underway training and seamanship and navigation courses.

While much of the training focused on navigation and seamanship, it also provided 19 first class midshipmen with excellent leadership experience as they filled command and staff billets.

The Naval Academy midshipmen were joined by 28 international midshipmen and junior officers from Chile, France, Italy, Japan and the U.K.

“The foreign midshipmen were a real asset and shared a better understanding of radar and electronic navigation and also gave us a greater cultural understanding and experience working with allies and partner nations,” said Lt. Nicholas Maruca, who served as Officer in Tactical Command of Alpha Squadron.

The foreign exchange midshipmen also left the Naval Academy with a great experience.

“The French midshipmen were happy to learn the U.S. standards of navigation including navigation reports and watch bill organization as well as English maritime vocabulary,” said Lt. Matthias Cannone, the French Navy’s Exchange Officer to the Naval Academy. “All of their exchanges with American and other foreign exchange midshipmen were very much appreciated.”