All About Trey

The Longest Day

June 29th, 1985.  Twenty years ago, at 0630, I walked into the
Halsey Field House at the US Naval Academy.  It was
Indoctrination Day, or I-Day, for the Class of 1989.  There were
hundreds of us, over 1400 hundred I would find out later.  We
were the best and brightest from the United States.  We came
in all shapes, sizes, colors, and genders.  We were the future of
the Navy and we were all excited.

As we walked into Halsey Field House in our civilian clothes,
we were warmly greeted by the upperclassman.  “Welcome
to the Naval Academy” they said with smiles on their faces
as they pointed us to our respective registration/check in
tables.  I remember the smiles.  It seemed a strange
juxtaposition to the banner hung on the edge of the Lejuene Hall
which read: “Welcome Class of 89:  Attrition is our mission. 
Class of 1987.”

I-Day was the longest day of my life.  The check-in process was
insane.  Uniform issue:  whiteworks, summer whites, khakis, blacks,
rain coats, t-shirts, underwear, socks, PT gear (down to standard
issue sneakers, and jock straps), linens, towels, and of course a sea
bag to put it all in.  We met other members of our Plebe Company
as we were taught to stand at attention, march, salute, etc.  We
were marched into Bancroft Hall, the world’s largest dormitory,
and assigned rooms, and roommates.  Dumping the sea bags, it
was time to go get the mandatory haircut.  My hair was never
very long, but it got a lot shorter that day.  You walked into the
barber an individual, and you walked out a plebe.  We had changed
into whiteworks at this point, and after the haircut the
transformation was complete.  You were a plebe, one of hundreds,
all dressed in whiteworks and dixie cup hats.

We ate lunch at some point.  I remember a big hall, King Hall,
and the food being okay, but we didn’t have much time there.   Then
it was time to get poked and prodded at medical.  Everyone had
to have a physical to get in, but that didn’t prevent them from
sticking almost everyone with atleast one shot.  The Naval Academy
isn’t large, but it was quite confusing that day.  We were in and out
of buildings, in and out of Bancroft Hall, using different entrances
and exits, marching from one end of the Yard to the other.  I think
at one point I thought I saw my Dad sitting on a bench watching me
as we marched by.  I say I think I saw him, but I’m not sure, my
eyes were in the boat.  I had learned that already.  I think we also
got issued a rifle at this point.  A very heavy and completely
nonfunctioning rifle that I would learn to hate over my four years
at the Naval Academy.  At some point in the afternoon, we lined
up in formation at Tecumpseh Court and marched to the
Indoctrination Ceremony.

Around 4 PM on a hot sunny day, standing in a field of white
uniforms, we raised our right hands, and the over 1400 plebes
of the Class of 1989 were formally sworn in to the Naval Academy. 
After the ceremony, we had a few minutes with our families.  Dad
and I talked a bit and then he left to go back to the hotel.  Along
with several of the other plebes, I made my way back to the
Bancroft Hall.  Even standing outside Bancroft Hall, we knew
something had changed.  The yelling and screaming had begun.

We braced ourselves and made our way up the 7th wing stair
well, chopping (a sort of high knee jog/run) and squaring
smartly at each corner as we yelled, “Go Navy, Beat Army.” 
When we entered the 7-0 deck, the upperclass were waiting
for us.  Their smiles were gone.  Long gone.  From the exit of the
stairwell to my room was approximately forty yards.  That evening
it took me almost an hour to go forty yards.  “Plebe HALT” still
echoes in my head as I think back to that evening.  I made it back
to my room, and my roommates, and barely had time to catch
our breathe before it was time for evening meal formation.

I don’t remember dinner.  I don’t remember much of the rest
of the evening.  I know I heard “Plebe Halt” about a million
times that night.  I know we were braced up (don’t ask).  I know
we were yelled at a lot.  And I remember trying to stencil
“Rxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" on ever piece of clothing I had and cursing
my long last name.  When I finally slept that night, on that hot,
humid, June evening twenty years ago, my last thoughts
were:  “So this is how it begins.”

posted by Trey @ 5:28 PM