Press Release

MIDSHIPMEN TRAVEL TO MISSOURI FOR VOLUNTEER PROJECT

NOTE TO EDITORS AND REPORTERS: Naval Academy Midshipmen involved with this project will be available for interviews by request. Photo and video opportunities are also available. Please call the USNA Public Affairs Office at 410-293-2292. They will put you in contact with the Senior Midshipman leader.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Members of the Naval Academy Midshipmen Action Group will travel to Joplin, M.O. during their spring break March 9–18 to help with community service projects in an effort to assist local families affected by tornado damage in May 2011.

The group, led by Midshipman 1st Class Stephanie Migut of New Brunswick, N.J., is made up of ten midshipmen who are focusing on a home-building project funded by the Naval Academy Foundation in conjunction with local agencies. Naval Academy volunteers will help in construction and debris removal at local home sites.

Three of these midshipmen were also part of the storm chasing team “Swift”, which was working near the location the tornado touched down in May 2011. These midshipmen were able to help with the search and rescue efforts two days after the storm hit.

The midshipmen plan to meet with the mayor and city council members of Joplin in order to present them with a flag which was originally recovered in 2011 and later flown over the USS MISSOURI on Thursday, March 15 at 2:30 p.m. The midshipmen will also visit Pleasant Valley Elementary School on Thursday, March 15 at 1 p.m., to promote science, technology, math engineering and science.

During the previous academic year, MAG logged 20,000 hours participating in community service projects. In this semester alone MAG midshipmen will participate in numerous local projects as well as several projects throughout the country during spring break.

Established in 1992 as a community relations program for and by the Brigade of Midshipmen, MAG currently offers a variety of educational, environmental and social service volunteer projects in coordination with community partners from the Annapolis, Baltimore and Washington D.C. areas, as well as regional and national partners. MAG prepares midshipmen for future service by encouraging peer leadership, teamwork, character development, morale, selflessness and goodwill towards others.

Founded in 1845, the U.S. Naval Academy is a prestigious four-year service academy that prepares midshipmen morally, mentally and physically to be professional officers in the naval service. More than 4,400 men and women representing every state in the U.S. and several foreign countries make up the student body, known as the Brigade of Midshipmen. Midshipmen learn from military and civilian instructors and participate in intercollegiate varsity sports and extracurricular activities. They also study subjects like small arms, drill, seamanship and navigation, tactics, naval engineering and weapons, leadership, ethics and military law. Upon graduation, midshipmen earn a federally funded Bachelor of Science degree in a choice of 23 different subject majors and go on to serve at least five years of exciting and rewarding service as commissioned officers in the U.S. Navy or U.S. Marine Corps.

For more information about the Naval Academy, please visit www.usna.edu or our Facebook page. For more information about MAG, visit www.usna.edu/MAG.

USNA