NEW WEEKLY CHALLENGE

Here are this week's challenges:

There were no winners this week.  Answers are in red.
For seniors:  What is the approximate area of the courtyard of the Pentagon building?  5 acres.

For juniors:  The officer responsible for training the crew in damage control techniques and for maintaining installed damage control equipment is the _______________________; he or she works for the _________________ department head.  Damage Control Assistant (DCA), who works for the Engineering Department Head.

For the FROSH:  What is your 4th general order.  (Must be recited correctly to CDR Wall and you must maintain military bear--no twitching or eye rolling!)  My FOURTH Genral Order is:  To report all calls from posts more distant from the guardhouse or quarterdeck than my own.

This challenge expires at 0730 1 October 2010.

NEW WEEKLY CHALLENGE

NO WINNERS THIS WEEK!  (Answers in RED.)

Here are a set of new challenges:

For Seniors: A ship is making 21 knots good against a head current of 3 knots. How far will it travel in 18 minutes? (RTQ.)  If your ship is making 21 knots good then your speed over ground is 21 knots and the 3 knot head current is irrelevant (I threw that in jsut to see if you were paying attention).  In 6 minutes at 21 knots you will go 2.1 NM's; therefore, in 18 minutes you will go three times that far, or 6.3 NM's.

For Juniors: From what mast do we fly the Union Jack when underway? (Careful.)  Trick question.  The Union Jack is NEVER flown underway i the United States Navy.

For FROSH: Describe the battle flag of the brig Niagara. Who was its captain and what is he famous for? The battle flag proudly proclaimed the dying words of CAPT Stephen Lawrence, "Don't Give Up the Ship!"  The captain of the brig Niagara was CAPT Oliver Hazard Perry, CAPT Lawrence's best friend.  CAPT Perry is famous for defeating the British in the Battle of Lake Erie (1813) and thus preserving the old Pacific Northwest for the United States.

The first cadet in each category with the correct answer will win a soft drink from the MHS vending machine of their choice. This offer expires at 0735 Monday, 27 September 2010. You must see CDR Wall with the correct answer by then--NO GUESSING!

FROSH CHALLENGE

For any freshman or sophomore, claim your prize! There's a soft drink from the MHS vending machine of your choice if you are the first FROSH to correctly define and describe any two of the three following terms:

• Weather deck--Any deck exposed to the weather.
• Athwartship--Perpindicular to the ship's centerline.
• Belay--To make a line secure to an object so that it does not run free. By extension, an order to stop anything as in, "Belay all that bellyaching and get to work!"

This challenge expires at 1500 (that's 3 PM for you landlubbers) on 24 SEP.

And the Winner is...Cadet Master Chief Petty Officer Jessica Glickman! Everyone else, stand by for the next challenge.

SITREP: WEEK ONE

We have now completed our first full week of school. A few comments:

1. Unit size. As we figure out who is going to be in the unit and who is going to be dropped, it looks like we will have about 140 to 145 cadets. Warning: If you serious, drop the course before you hurt your academic average. If you do not make the weekly inspection, or if you skip 10th period, you will fail.
2. Classroom discipline. Pretty good, especially, I am happy to say, on the part of our new cadets. One comment: Don't think that the instructors can stop class to get you ribbons, check on your trousers, etc. If the situation is obviously hectic, come back later.
3. First personnel inspection, Thursday, 16 September. Mixed. Only 67 people were accounted for. Many cadets skipped this MANDATORY event. Many others really need to spend some time and attention on their shoes.
4. Uniform issue. In progress. Uniforms will be coming back from the tailor early next week--be sure to check if your items are back so you can be in uniform on our inspection on the 23rd.
5. Independent studies. If you are taking NS3 or 4 independent studies, or if you are taking NS2 10th period, your first weekly assignment has been posted and is due on Friday, 24 September. Don't fall behind.

"Bravo Zulu" on a good start to what should be a great year. Keep charging!