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In this episode, your host Grant Vermeer introduces for the audience how plebe summer is organized.

He and his close friend and 26th company shipmate Christian Blanchard explain the various roles for midshipmen detailers during plebe summer.  

Grant served as the regimental commander during plebe summer for the class of 2020 and Christian chose to be a platoon leader.  During the academic year that followed Grant served as the Sixth battalion commander and Christian was his executive officer (XO).  

They provide some sage advice for plebes thinking about how to approach plebe summer and tell some hilarious stories including Grant being summoned to the Commandant of Midshipmen's office due to a plebe picking flowers.

00:00 Welcome to Academy Insider: Navigating the Naval Academy Experience

00:40 Diving Into Plebe Summer Organization: An Insider's Guide

01:17 Special Guest Christian Blanchard: Insights and Stories from a Former Platoon Commander

01:57 Christian's Journey to the Naval Academy: A Personal Story

04:13 The Structure and Organization of Plebe Summer Explained

13:35 The Regimental Staff: Roles, Responsibilities, and Personal Experiences

21:53 Company Commanders and Plebe Summer Traditions

28:43 Navigating Plebe Summer: Tips and Tricks

28:50 The Art of Sending Packages: A Guide for Loved Ones

29:57 Blue and Gold: The Heart of Naval Academy Spirit

33:15 Leadership and Drill: The Core of Plebe Summer

47:42 The Perks and Challenges of Naval Academy Leadership

55:30 Final Reflections: Lessons from Plebe Summer

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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 [email protected]

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.

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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If you are interested in sponsoring the podcast, have an idea, question or topic you would like to see covered, reach out: email [email protected] or text Grant at (443) 951-3064