Stiff competition for academy’s class of 2016 - Navy News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Navy Times

Stiff competition for academy’s class of 2016

Annapolis is gearing up for a competitive admissions season. While the size of the next freshman class is contracting, the number of applicants is set to break records.

“We think we’re going to have the most applications we’ve ever had this year,” retired Capt. Bruce Latta, the academy’s dean of admissions, told the school’s board of visitors Monday. With 18,651 applicants as of Nov. 29, the academy is 7 percent above last year’s figure, Latta said.

The size of the freshman class will drop by 30 slots, to 1,190.

“We are targeting a little bit smaller class than in the last two or three years,” Latta said. “Part of that is the Navy’s requirements for graduation for the class of 2016 and beyond.”

The academy is also on track to top last year’s record number of female applicants. So far, 4,271 women have applied, up 281 from last year.

The tally of conduct and honor offenses is also sharply lower this year, according to Capt. Robert Clark, commandant of midshipmen. Clark presented statistics showing that there were about 70 conduct cases so far this academic year, compared with about 110 last year. Clark said this was part of a push to send more responsible officers to the fleet.

“Recently we got feedback from Pensacola and [Chief of Naval Air Training]. Apparently, in the past, there’s been some issues with — get to the fleet, down at the training command — alcohol issues. Last year and this year to date, we have had zero.”

Still, members of the board called on the academy administration to release more information about the conduct cases, which can range from missing classes and alcohol abuse to physical and sexual assault.

Service assignment

On Nov. 30, each senior received a wrapped package. Inside, they found a certificate with their service selection, telling them what service and community they would join upon graduation. Of the 1,108 mids in the class of 2012, 272 mids — a quarter — will join the Marine Corps.

“That’s the largest selection for Marines in the history of this school,” Miller said. “The previous largest was 270 back in 2009, and while the Marine Corps continues to consider what their ultimate force structure should look like, the Naval Academy continues to play a significant role in their officer accessions.”

Of the Marine selectees, 73 are slated for aviation and 199 for ground.

On the other side, 836 mids are set to be commissioned into the Navy. Because the graduating class is larger than 2011, many of the communities are set to get more ensigns than the year before. Here’s the breakdown:

• 255 pilots.

• 89 naval flight officers.

• 255 surface warfare officers.

• 28 nuclear-trained surface warfare officers.

• 140 submariners.

• 28 SEALs.

• 16 explosive ordnance disposal officers.

• 15 restricted line officers.

• 10 medical students.