#134 What Makes the Midshipman Experience Different and Special?

Around 15,000 applicants. Only 7.9% ultimately raise their right hand. Then the real deal starts: hardship, exhaustion, frustration, and homesickness. 

This episode is a recording of a speech I have at the Southern California Naval Academy Parent's Club Welcome Aboard event for the incoming class of 2030 and their families on 6/13/2026.

In the talk, I break down what makes the Naval Academy experience different from almost any other college path. We talk about the power of being a midshipman, why the training feels brutal on purpose, and how you can build the “handle hard better” muscle instead of spending your life waiting for things to get easier. We also get practical about mentorship and leadership development at Annapolis: how to find the instructors and officers who speak your language, why you have to be proactive, and how relationships can keep pressure from crushing you.

We then shift to the responsibility of being a junior officer, where purpose stops being a slogan and becomes a daily obligation to real sailors and Marines. A story about a sudden retasking toward the Middle East makes the stakes clear: your job is to manage your own fear so you can carry someone else’s. We close with the Naval Academy network as a 40-year advantage built through shared storms, shared values, and a commitment to take care of each other long after the uniform comes off.

To stay most up to date with Grant, Naval Academy updates, and real estate insights, follow him on LinkedIn

The mission of Academy Insider is to guide, serve, and support Midshipmen, future Midshipmen, and their families.

This podcast is independently produced and reflects the views and opinions of its creators. It is not officially affiliated with, endorsed by, or representative of the United States Naval Academy or its affiliates.

Grant Vermeer your host is the person who started it all.  He is the founder of Academy Insider and the host of The Academy Insider podcast. He was a recruited athlete which brought him to Annapolis where he was a four year member of the varsity basketball team. He was a cyber operations major and commissioned into the Cryptologic Warfare Community. He was stationed at Fort Meade and supported the Subsurface Direct Support mission.

He separated from the Navy in 2023 and now owns The Vermeer Group, a residential real estate company that matches service academy families with trusted real estate teams all across the country.  Text (650) 282-1964 with any real estate questions.

We are here to be your guide through the USNA experience.

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Transcript

The Odds And The Oath

SPEAKER_00 0:00

14,727 applicants. Just over 1,300 heard yes. And then of those, only about 1,175 said yes. That's 7.9%. You are a part of the 7.9% who are going to raise their right hand and swear an oath to the Constitution on I Day. And you'll be rewarded for saying yes with hardship, adversity, frustration, exhaustion, and homesickness. It was because of those emotions I almost didn't weather the storm to stay a part of the 7.9%.

The Day He Almost Quit

SPEAKER_00 0:48

It was July 9th, 2013, 14 days into my plebe summer. I was sitting in Lieutenant Burke's pristine office. It's filled with pictures of his family and his time on previous ships. I was tired. I was uncomfortable, defeated. My skin was sticky from the Annapolis humidity. I'm staring at the wall silently, just praying about how I can go home. I was miserable. He walks in the door and I stand up immediately and I pop to attention. At ease, he said. Grant, close the door. Relax. What's going on? For those of you who don't know my story, I was moments away from joining Tango Company and leaving the Naval Academy during Plebe Summer. If it wasn't for the kindness and curiosity of Lieutenant Burke, I wouldn't be standing here today, proud of my accomplishments and very excited for yours. This is why I am passionate about the Naval Academy. Because I almost threw away all of these life-changing experiences and opportunities. Commanding 1,200 plebes and 300 detailers as the regimental commander of Plebe Summer. Being one of two midshipmen in the class of 2017 chosen to speak at the Library of Congress on all matters related to the Academy. Playing four years of Division I basketball against men who are now in the MBA. Attending classes taught by the Deputy Director of the NSA and receiving a Bachelor's of Science degree in cyber operations completely free. Deploying on four submarines all across the world, conducting top secret missions around the globe. Re-enlisting sailors from literal mountain peaks in Norway. Winning a silver medal while representing the United States of America in the 2019 military world games in Wuhan, China. And starting a nonprofit organization that supports every person in this room, all of us, the greater Naval Academy community. Over time, I fell in love with the Naval Academy. It has provided me with once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. And I want to take this time today to share what makes it so darn special.

Why The Midshipman Path Hurts

SPEAKER_00 3:21

And there are three main factors that separate the Naval Academy from other life choices that you could have made. The power of being a midshipman, the responsibility of being a junior officer, and the influence of the Naval Academy network. You will soon discover the benefits of the midshipman experience. It's going to teach you life lessons that are going to elevate you amongst your peers. While your friends are going to go to their freshman orientations, partying, having fun, you are going to be training. You're going to be pushing the boundaries of your mental, physical, and emotional limits. While your friends are thriving with their classmates, you are going to be struggling with yours. And while your friends are rushing their sororities and their fraternities, you will be fighting through trials and tribulations with yours. The midshipment experience is hard. At times it's grueling and overwhelming. You will run into storms that seem never-ending. And uh shoot, you may even want to send home a letter like this. It probably won't be that bad for you. Um I've always had a little flair for the dramatic, but uh in classic naval academy sarcasm, um, when asked how I was doing, especially as a plebe, I'd always respond with, oh, you know, dude, living the dream. Whenever I said it, my roommate Jeremiah would look at me and say, Yeah, but nightmares are dreams too. And uh I think that reality captures the plebe experience. But you're never gonna face these dreams alone.

Mentors Who Carry You Through

SPEAKER_00 5:32

The power of the midshipment experience embodies itself in the form of incredible Navy and Marine Corps leaders who are there to teach, coach, and mentor you. No matter your personality top, you're gonna find someone who speaks your language and can connect with you in your own unique language that you understand. Whether it's the analytic brain of the submariner, the super laid-back, chill attitude of the pilot, the really stoic mindset of the Navy SEAL, or the polished and motivated persona of a Marine, there will be someone there ready to invest in your life and help you navigate the leadership challenges in your path. The Naval Academy is special because of the density of wisdom and leadership experience on campus. And the instructors, away from their jobs, they have one primary mission, and that is sharing their knowledge to guide you through your own personal and professional development. Take advantage of these opportunities. Be proactive, be observant, find someone whose personality and leadership style is intriguing to you, and then reach out. Because at the end of the day, you need to create these relationships. You have to go and pour into the experience. You can't shy away from it. But at the end of the day, you are never alone at the Naval Academy. There is always someone there who is going to be ready to help you. And when you choose to invest in the people surrounding you, the pressure of the institution will not destroy you, it will mold you into who you're going to become.

Temporary Emotions Versus Permanent Choices

SPEAKER_00 7:26

I almost made an emotional decision that would have cost me everything. And so when it gets hard, really hard, and you are thinking about quitting, I want you to remember this. Never make a permanent decision based on temporary emotions. The storm, no matter how brutal, will always pass. And when you come out the other side, you will be stronger, you will be wiser, and you will be tougher. Handling the hard aspects of life, it is a skill. It is a muscle that has to be trained. And pleep summer will train that muscle a lot. And at the end of the day, you may want things to get easier. Many people wait their whole lives for things to get easier. Think, just honest reflection in here. How many of you have said, oh, I just got to get through junior year and then it'll get easier? I just need to get to spring of my senior year, then I can kind of relax and it'll be easy. Oh, I just need to get through plebe summer and then it'll be easier. It'll be easy. That's what we do. We wait for stuff to get easier. But the Naval Academy and life does not get easier. What happens is you learn to handle the hard better. And when I talk about the power of being a midshipman, the power of being a midshipman is becoming someone who handles the hard moments of life better. Lieutenant Burke advised me to stay for just one more day because he knew if I stayed for one more day, my storm would settle and I would get one more repetition at overcoming adversity. He didn't allow me to make a permanent decision based on my temporary emotion. Choosing the Naval Academy was the best decision I ever made in my life. And had I left, I would have never experienced the second piece of what makes this place so darn special.

The Mission And Joy Of Leadership

SPEAKER_00 9:44

And that's the responsibility of being a junior officer. After graduation, you're going to enter into a career that gives you a sense of mission, of purpose, and of life fulfillment. From the adventures of international travel and exploring the world to being trusted with the literal care of young men and women from every corner of our country to supporting national security objectives across the globe, your work will matter. Your work will have an impact. And your work will make the world a better and safer place. Look, being a junior officer, it's also cool. It's super fun. You're going to be in your most tactical roles in your first five years, you're going to do intense trainings, you're going to go on multiple deployments, you're going to have your most flight hours, you're going to spend your most days out to sea, you're going to spend your most time outside the wire. If you have a desire to see the world, you're going to get the opportunity. For me, like you saw in that picture, it was Norway, it was Scotland, it was Guam. For my friend Troy, it was 16 countries throughout Asia, all while being stationed and living in Japan. He even had a Japanese swordsmith make him a custom samurai sword, which, like to today, is probably the coolest thing that I've ever seen in my life. Again, being a junior officer, it's cool. But being a junior officer, it is also important. You have serious responsibilities to your sailors and marines. Your leadership will matter.

War Realities And Caring For Sailors

SPEAKER_00 11:28

Here's the reality of today. We are back at war. And that literally started almost a year to today when I was back speaking at this exact same event last year. I was speaking to the event at uh at to the incoming class of 2029. And in that moment, I could barely focus. I don't think you guys understand. I was ecstatic. I was supposed to be heading straight to LAX after finishing speaking at the event to get on a flight, to fly to Vietnam, and to see my wife on a port visit who had been in deployment for the past six months, and I was so excited to see her. Then I felt my phone buzz. I looked at my notification, and I saw a very short text. Don't get on the plane. Missiles had been flying back and forth between Israel and Iran in that previous about 48 hours. And the USS Nimitz had been retasked, turned around, and sent all ahead flank towards the Middle East. In that moment, I knew that she was nervous. I knew that I was nervous. And I knew for darn sure my in-laws were nervous. But you know who else was nervous? Her sailors. And you know who else was afraid? The moms and dads of those sailors. And it'll be your responsibility as a junior officer to take care of them, to love them, and to lead them in combat. It will be your responsibility as a junior officer to process and manage your own emotions so you can shoulder the burden of theirs. That is what it means to be a man or a woman for others. That is what it means to be of service. And that's why the Naval Academy, and that's why being a midshipman at the Naval Academy is so special. Because it sucks. Because it is super hard, and because it is going to prepare you for that exact moment. The Naval Academy Experience will prepare you to handle the hard moments of life better so you can carry someone else's fear in addition to your own. The experience is designed for you to be prepared, to be of service to your sailors and to your Marines. There is nowhere else in the country where at 22 years old, right after graduation, you are going to have the ability to make such a direct positive impact in the lives of real human beings, of human beings who have raised their right hand in service to this country. So lean into the power of the midshipment experience, embrace it, own it, be proactive about it, so you are ready to bear the responsibility of being a junior officer. Because being a junior officer is important. You will get teased for knowing nothing. You're gonna see a million memes about the lost lieutenant or the ensign who has no idea what's going on. You will get teas for knowing nothing, but your leadership will matter. Never underestimate the impact you can make in somebody's lives with simple actions. That impact will be meaningful. And having meaningful pursuits in life is hard. And your life in the fleet will be harder, the storms will be stronger, but the academy will prepare you to handle the hard, it will prepare you to weather the storms. Your work will give you mission, it will give you a purpose, and it will give you a sense of fulfillment. Your work will be meaningful. I can assure you that your services are needed and your opportunities are unlimited. You are in the right place. And forged

The Naval Academy Network For Life

SPEAKER_00 16:07

by all of these common bonds, by the storms that you will sail through, by the mission and purpose in your life, you will be tied and connected to everyone else in this room and who has graduated in the institution for the rest of your life. And it is what makes the Naval Academy Network the greatest network in the world. The day will come where you wear the uniform for the last time. Whether it was me, five years, whether it was these incredible individuals who did 20 years in service to our Naval Academy. There will come a day where you wear the uniform for the last time, yet the support will continue. Your tenacity, your resilience, your strength that you have developed will keep you connected to people who share the same values. In finance, law, real estate, medicine, entrepreneurship, whatever industry Naval Academy graduates win, they excel and they take care of each other. You may not realize it yet, but the Naval Academy is not just a 40-year decision. It is a 40-year decision, 40 years of camaraderie, of mission, of purpose, of having fulfillment in your life and of success. Capitalize on the influence of the network. Congratulations.

Choosing Hard For Long-Term Fulfillment

SPEAKER_00 17:39

Congratulations on accepting your appointment to the Naval Academy. You have chosen the hard path. You have decided to prioritize long-term fulfillment over short-term comfort and fun. As a result, you're embarking on a journey that will be filled with personal and professional development, adventure, and success. In Annapolis, you are going to sail into severe storms. You will face real adversity that will make you question your decision. But those storms and that adversity will be the catalyst in your development and transformation into a Navy or Marine Corps officer. The storms, they will be worth it. So lean into the power of being a midshipman. Embrace the adventures and responsibility of being a junior officer and capitalize on the influence of the Naval Academy network. To the parents, congratulations. I know that after paying for my siblings' Stanford and Yale tuitions, they were like super happy with the price tag associated with my choice. But I think you will be happiest, proudest of the life that your son or daughter will lead. A life of service, a life that has purpose, and a life that will achieve tremendous success. If I was sitting in this audience right now, knowing what I know, again, this is what I would have told myself.

One More Day And Final Charge

SPEAKER_00 19:22

That when you are at your lowest, when you are defeated, when you're about to write that note home that's gonna ruin your mom's day, when you feel like quitting, never make a permanent decision based on temporary emotion. Weather the storm and wait just one more day. I wish each and every one of you the best in your Naval Academy journey, fair winds and following seas, and as always, beat army.