WALDO NEWS Whats In A Name

NEWSLETTER / WALDO NEWS / June 8

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with other members of the GREAT Class of 2026.

From Shakespeare's Rome and Juliet comes a famous quote: "What's In a Name?' It turns out that during Plebe Summer names are very important.

DETAILERS: The name given to the Midshipmen who will train the Plebes this summer are called "Detailers". One year they were called "Cadre." That didn't stick. The Detailers are are members of the Class of 2023, 2024, and even 2025. The 2025 detailers are doing administrative stuff, never seen by your son/daughter. The 2023 and 2025 Detailers do the work. However they have called themselves "babysitters" as they escort the Plebes from one place to another a lot.

NAME, HOMETOWN, and SCHOOL: Within the first three days each plebe is suppose to know the names, hometown and school of each member of his/her squad. The "Squad" consists of 8-12 Plebes.

GUNNY: The most feared man during Plebe Summer, the Gunnery Sergeant. He is constantly after the Plebes for their drill skills, which are much lacking.

Gunny Gunny

NAMES of PLEBE SUMMER staff: There are nicknames given to the important staff members. The Superintendent is called the "Supe." The Commandant, who is the second in command, is called the "Dant." Then there is the OIC, or Officer in Charge of Plebes Summer. He wears a red T shirt with OIC on the back. The Assistant OIC has AOIC on the back of his red shirt.

NAME TAGS: The Plebes are issued four name tags during the summer. If you ever see a Plebe wear two name tags, that is not good. Usually he/she lost his/her name tag. The most name tags I have ever seen worn is seven. You might ask how a Plebe could wear seven name tags when he/she is issued only four. Well, he/she finds another Plebe with the same last name.

I once saw a Plebe wear an actual letter with his name on the front. He must have lost all his name tags.

FRATERNIZATION: Every summer Plebes ask me my first name. I do not tell them my first name as they do not "rate" it. They also do not "rate" knowing the first names of their Detailers.