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The U.S. Naval Academy
Center for Experiential Leadership Development
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Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School

About

The Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School (CBOBS) offers a field-based leadership practicum designed to support and complement classroom leadership theory by allowing students to execute and reflect on real-world decision making in austere, unpredictable, and dynamic wilderness environments with immediate consequences. Courses meet the needs of midshipmen and USNA’s demand for small unit leadership experiences.

Spring Break Veterans Hike:

During spring break, eight midshipmen participate in a five-day hike along the Appalachian Trail (Harpers Ferry area) with three veterans from USNA and the community in a one-on-one mentoring and leadership expedition. ELD's Spring Break Expeditions are courses designed to meet the needs of midshipmen and the USNA's demand for small unit leadership experience. During the course, midshipmen work as a team with expedition leaders who emphasize the ideals of character, leadership, and service. The trainings include activities such as canoeing, backpacking, rock climbing, and serving the community.

Midshipmen who participated made the following comments:

“A great opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and work on my mental fortitude.”

“Really learned what it means to be a servant leader. I learned that I like to work hard and motivate those around me, looking more towards the morale of the group.”

“The hike taught me that I am a lot stronger than I realized and I can push through much more for the benefit of the group.”

 

A letter from one of the veterans on the trip, a USNA ’83 grad, included the following:  

“Thank you for the opportunity to participate in the USNA Outward Bound Spring Break Expedition.  I very happily report that the Brigade is in better shape now than when I attended, and the quality of junior officers produced by our Alma Mater has improved.  I very much enjoyed my discussions with the mids on such things as Sea Trials, Capstone Projects, their summer training programs, and of course, these Experiential Leadership Development programs.    

ELD gives the mids a small-scale yet meaningful opportunity to put to practice in a real-world stressful situation the theories and concepts in leadership taught in the academic curriculum and in Bancroft Hall.  I have an emotional connection to these leadership programs and the value they bring to character development.  I know ELD programs will pay dividends when these future officers are charged with leading America’s sons and daughters into harm’s way.  

And a huge shout out to the Baltimore Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound team!  The organization of the trip was beyond excellent.  I sincerely hope the Academy not only continues, but expands, its relationship with Outward Bound.” 

 

Summer Expedition:

During the summer course, CBOBS promotes effective teamwork and leadership development by providing wilderness expeditions and training that emphasizes the ideals of character, leadership, and service. This transformative learning experience, where students develop new technical skills as well as a sense of teamwork, self-confidence, and a desire to make a difference, are designed and delivered by a community of the industry’s most skilled and dedicated educators and instructors. 

The two-week small-unit leadership expedition tested their resolve in fostering effective teamwork in the wilderness, emphasizing character, leadership, and service. This transformative learning experience taught the mids new technical skills, self-confidence, and a desire to make a difference in the community and back at USNA.  

 

Midshipmen Experiences:

"Outward Bound was the most impactful training I have completed at the academy so far. The unpredictable nature of the wilderness turned out to be an incredible teacher. We faced extreme heat, bugs and many thunderstorms. This was the perfect opportunity to put stoic ideas into practice. Although tempting to worry and complain, it was clear that the weather, the bugs and the condition of the trails would never be in our control. Instead, we turned our minds to what we could control." – Trevor Gayron, Class of 2027

"As someone who only completed plebe year so far (and hasn’t had much leadership experience yet) this trip taught me so much about myself and my leadership and how I need to continue to grow. I realized how difficult it is to lead others when you yourself are struggling and how important it is to be capable of leading regardless of how you’re feeling." – Hannah DiDonato, Class of 2028

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This is an official U.S. Navy Web Site. URL: https://www.usna.edu   Page Last Updated: 2025-09-04