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The question I hear every year sounds innocent but it can quietly wreck your Plebe Summer mindset: “How do I become the best plebe in my company?” I’m sharing a different path for the Naval Academy Class of 2030 and the families walking alongside them, rooted in what I saw across every company as Plebe Summer regimental commander and what I’ve learned since as a graduate trying to give back.

We start with something most candidates don’t talk about out loud: your “why.” Some of you have dreamed of serving since you were a kid. Some of you chose USNA because it’s an incredible school and an unmatched opportunity. Some were recruited for Division I sports. Some feel legacy or family pressure. Whatever brought you here, it’s your reason, and you should be proud of it. When you own that, you stop feeding imposter syndrome and you can actually focus on the daily work of becoming a better leader.

Then we tackle the real standard for success at Annapolis: being a great teammate. Plebe Year is not an individual contest. I break down what it looks like to know your role, embrace it, and excel in it, and why the “best plebe” obsession clashes with the values of teamwork and selflessness. We talk humility in practical terms, the idea of thinking about yourself less, and how service-first habits can help you thrive not only at the Naval Academy but later in the fleet and in life.

If this helps, subscribe, share it with a Class of 2030 candidate or parent, and leave a review or comment with the biggest question you have right now.

The Vermeer Group is a residential real company matching military families with trusted real estate teams across the country. If you have any real estate questions at all, please text Grant at (650) 282-1964 or email grant@thevermeergroup.com

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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50 years ago, women showed up on I-day for the first time at the Naval Academy. That’s why this milestone weekend in Annapolis feels so big, and why we wanted the real story behind it. Marie (USNA ’86) and Adrienne (USNA ’06) join us to share how USNA Women Writ Large and the USNA Women's SIG are bringing more than 850 people together April 16 to 19 for a conference, gala, and a full-on celebration of women’s impact across the Navy, Marine Corps, government, and beyond.

We dig into what a SIG actually is, how USNA Women operates as an apolitical nonprofit, and the kinds of programs it supports, from professional development to midshipman engagement. Marie and Adrienne also walk through the event logistics so you can plan your trip: the reception, the conference days at the Fluegel Alumni Center, the gala transformation, and the Sunday “welcome by the decade” built to connect alumni directly with the next generation of mids.

The Schedule of Events and panel details are available on myUSNA.

USNA Women’s 50 Year page will have the most up-to-date information about the event, so be sure to check it before you leave for Annapolis.

The Vermeer Group is a residential real company matching military families with trusted real estate teams across the country. If you have any real estate questions at all, please text Grant at (650) 282-1964 or email grant@thevermeergroup.com

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.

Connect with Grant on Linkedin
Academy Insider Website
Academy Insider Facebook Page

If you ar...

Send us Fan Mail

A single book can change your life, and sometimes it starts with one brutal question: what do you wish you’d known back then? We sit down with Dr. John Cordle, a retired Navy captain, to talk about his new book Letters to Myself and the real experiences behind it, from early doubts at the United States Naval Academy to the pressure-cooker moments that define military leadership.

John explains why he structured the book as letters to his younger self at major career milestones, pulling one core lesson from each phase: technical proficiency, tactical growth, self-care, and even failure. We get into what it felt like to write down mistakes across a 30-year Navy career and turn them into something useful for midshipmen, future officers, and families trying to understand the Naval Academy journey. The conversation doesn’t dodge the uncomfortable topics either, including how fatigue can wreck judgment and why alcohol mistakes can create consequences that last long after the night ends.

If you found value here, subscribe, share this with a midshipman or parent, and leave a review or comment with the lesson you wish you could send to your younger self.

Dr. John Cordle will be hosting a book signing on Saturday, April 18, from 12:00–2:00 PM at Old Fox Books & Coffeehouse.

Old Fox Books & Coffeehouse
35 Maryland Avenue
Annapolis, MD 21401
Phone: 410-626-2020

Book orders are available at: www.stonetowerpress.com/shop

Additional details and updates can also be found on his LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/cordlejp

If you want a slightly more polished/marketing-friendly version:

Dr. John Cordle will be hosting a book signing on Saturday, April 18, from 12:00–2:00 PM at Old Fox Books & Coffeehouse in Annapolis.

Old Fox Books & Coffeehouse
35 Maryland Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21401
410-626-2020

You can order the book here: www.stonetowerpress.com/shop

Learn more via LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/cordlejp

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.

Connect with Grant on Linkedin
Academy Insider Website
Academy Insider Facebook Page

If you ar...