#113 Winter Break!

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What Happens When Midshipmen Stay Behind During Winter Break

As we wrap up an incredible 2025 season, I'm reflecting on what an amazing year it's been for the Naval Academy community. From the football team's outstanding achievements to the daily dedication of midshipmen preparing for finals, there's so much to celebrate as we head into winter break.

In this final episode of the season, I'm sharing some exciting updates about what's coming next for Academy Insider and how we're planning to serve our community even better in 2026. Whether you're a current midshipman family, preparing for Plebe Summer, or part of our broader Naval Academy community, this episode sets the stage for what's ahead.

What We're Covering in This Season Finale

• Celebrating the Navy football team's remarkable 2025 season and standout performances
• Behind-the-scenes reality of winter break at the Naval Academy (yes, some midshipmen stay!)
• My vision for Academy Insider content in 2026 and beyond
• How your feedback directly shapes the episodes we create
• Exciting opportunities for businesses to connect with our engaged community

Looking Ahead: Your Voice Matters

One of the most important aspects of this episode is our commitment to creating content that truly serves our community. I'm actively seeking your input on topics you want to explore, from summer training programs to detailed breakdowns of different service communities and career paths.

What You'll Gain from This Episode

• Insight into the realities of Naval Academy life during winter break
• Understanding of how Academy Insider is evolving to meet community needs
• Information about upcoming content series on service communities and training pipelines
• Opportunities to influence future episode topics through direct feedback
• Details on how local businesses can connect with our Naval Academy audience

This episode serves as both a celebration of our community's achievements and a roadmap for the valuable content we'll be creating together. Whether you're navigating the appointment process, supporting a cur

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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 [phone] with any real estate questions.

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

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