NEWSLETTER / WALDO NEWS / May 14

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with other members of the GREAT Class of 2026.

IST

The acronym "IST", and there a multitude of them during Plebe Summer, stands for the Initial Strength Test. At the end of the summer is the PRT, acronym for Physical Readiness Test. The PRT, I believe, is required every year for every midshipmen, twice a year. Each midshipmen must be able to complete a number of physical tests successfully, If he/she does not. there is more physical training. The IST consists of the following tests:

1) Number of push ups in a minute,

PEP L

2) Number of sit ups in a minute, and

PEP A

3) Time for a one mile run. Below is Plebe at the end of the IST one mile run.

IST x

THE IST is administered the morning after Induction Day. It is run in three rotations, companies 1-10, then 11-20, and finally 21-30. We photograph and post each group.

Below is half of the PEP Field during PEP

Pep Field 16-30

Company Run

The Company Run is exactly what it says it is, sort of. It is actually a platoon run. See photo below. All the Plebes as a unit. See the orange flag. It indicates the platoon number,

IST Run

Ability Group Run

There are seven Ability Groups. The Plebes wear a colored rubber wrist band to indicate their ability group. They started the colored wrist bands when it was discovered that Plebes would sneek into a slower running group so that they could have an "easy" run. TH ability groups are, based on time for a one mile run on the IST day, which is the day after Induction Day.

GROUP 1: Fastest Time. They usually go to the track field to do some seriouys running.

GROUPS 2-5: Run in different locations, but almost always keep to away from the main Yard area. 

GROUP 6: This is the slowest group and can not keep up to Groups 1 thru 5. They run on a field next to the PEP field.

Braveheart Run

Braveheart is a sight to see, and more than once. The Plebes warm up on Rip Miller PEP field. They run to the absolute other side of the Yard, Hospital Point.  They line up and one end of a football field. They are given a motivational pep talk/yell like in the movie, Braveheart. All about freedom, etc. The Plebes run down the field and back in waves. They run back in waves. They complete the run three times, typically. At the beginning of Plebe Summer the distance is not very long. At the end it is probably twice the length.

On memorable Braveheart Runs, a bagpiper magically appears and plays the bagpipes. Major Antonelli, in charge of PEP, dresses up like Mel Gibson and yells ,"Charge."