The United States Naval Academy’s obstacle endurance course known as “Sea Trials” took place on Tuesday, 16 May 2017.
The Naval Academy freshman class endures 14 hours of rigorous physical and mental challenges during the Academy’s annual Sea Trials training exercise as part of the culmination of their plebe (freshman) year.
Sea Trials is modeled after the Marine Corps’ Crucible and the Navy’s Battle Stations recruit programs. It is a “capstone” event for the fourth class midshipmen (freshmen or “plebes”) and serves as a leadership challenge for the upper class. Sea Trials is led by Academy upper class and provides a final physical and mental challenge to the plebes, designed to test their teamwork and to reinforce their bonds as a company and class.
At the end of Sea Trials, the company of plebes who demonstrated the top unit performance through endurance and spirit during the entire course will be recognized with the “Iron Company” award during a brief presentation.
Sea Trials events take place at various locations throughout the Yard and Naval Support Activity Annapolis and include emergency re-supply, shore defense, Spartan relay, combat fitness test, military operations on urban terrain, damage control (pipe patching and fire hose handling), underwater events, aquatics challenges and endurance, water tactics, hill assault, two-mile regimental run, ground fight, stretcher relay, land navigation, survival skills, simulated bridge defense and demolition, paintball, endurance course, obstacle course, pugil stick jousting, riverine operations, rucksack run and casualty evacuation.
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Atlanta Network