Vol. VIII
THE YALE SEADOG, DECEMBER 2020
NAVY RESILIENCE DURING COVID-19 MIDN Tanaka Nothing can stop Yale NROTC from successfully training its midshipmen, even a global pandemic! Although times this year have proven themselves to be especially rough, it is yet another obstacle that Yale NROTC has been able to overcome. This past semester, midshipmen and staff have adapted to working over a virtual platform, including in their Naval Science courses. Every week, on Friday at 0700, the Battalion gathers on a Zoom call for Naval Science Lab. Depending on the Plan of the Week, various enriching activities take place over lab, including listening to guest speakers, going over challenging ethical scenarios, and other workshops. Midshipmen are often encouraged to engage in conversation with their squad over Zoom breakout rooms. Moreover, 4/C midshipmen are still able to attend Gunny Time, which occurs at 0730 every Tuesday, when they learn about basic military knowledge, such as close order drill and strategies for critical thinking. Physical fitness has also taken a virtual form, but nonetheless, thanks to MIDN 2/C Lindo’s planning, it still offers fitness challenges that are both difficult and rewarding to overcome. “My goal is for every workout to support [midshipmen] in getting better on a weekly basis, and to ultimately prepare [them] for the fitness test,” she says. As a result, MIDN Lindo picks exercises that focus on various muscle groups utilized during the fitness test, all while trying to create workouts that are fun and challenging. On a weekly basis, three different workout plans are sent to the Battalion, giving midshipmen the option to choose at least two workouts that they want to complete. Each workout focuses on a different target group, designed to help midshipmen pass different parts of the fitness test. Although this semester’s physical fitness does
not offer the in-person support that PT in a normal year would offer, MIDN Lindo uses midshipmen’s competitive nature to inspire them to complete their weekly workouts. In fact, with her points system, the midshipman who has completed the most workouts and has succeeded the most in fitness challenges is given a gift card to a New Haven restaurant of their choice. However, midshipmen also know how to have fun over Zoom. MIDN 1/C Hernandez Bautista and MIDN Thomason, President and Vice President of Yale NROTC Undergraduate Association, respectfully, have hosted Game Night on various weekends to allow midshipmen to bond over games such as Pictionary, Among Us, and Kahoot. “I came up with the idea [of Game Night] from hearing about how Frocos had adapted their ‘Duty’ nights,” notes MIDN Hernandez Bautista. Knowing that in-person interactions would be limited for quite some time, MIDN Hernandez Bautista decided to host Game Night as a way for midshipmen to have fun outside of lab. “The most rewarding part of it is simply getting to know the 4/C, which I probably would never interact with [otherwise] during COVID Yale,” he commented.
SENIOR SERVICE SELECTIONS The Class of 2021 Navy Option midshipmen received their service assignments on the morning of October 19th, after a few weeks of anticipation and delay. The seniors all received their first choice of community, which is as follows: Jacob Asher for pilot, Sofia Bliek for surface warfare, Bella Back for submarines, and Charlie Markert for pilot. What a proud day. Bravo Zulu midshipmen!
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Issue No. 1
BATTALION AMPS UP SPIRIT WITH PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST
MIDN Shi For the first time in NROTC history, the battalion held a themed event in the spirit of fall. Midshipmen took full advantage of the cool autumn weather to trudge up Science Hill and gather in the Yale Science Building courtyard. Pumpkins and carving tools were provided. In teams of two or three, midshipmen carved their best pumpkin design. Motivated by a time limit and a gift card to sweet, sweet ice cream at Arethusa Farm Dairy, midshipmen’s artistic skills were revealed: a detailed carving of the Yale NROTC logo, a submarine, Lieutenant Melvin’s face, a watermelon monster. These were just a few carvings among the numerous masterpieces. The pumpkins were presented over Zoom and judged by the Commanding and Executive officers, who determined that Midshipmen 4/C Calvert and Klein were the first place winners. Their idea: a sideways pumpkin that was carved to look like both a fish and a submarine. Coming in close 2nd and 3rd place were both EGAs: the classic Marine Corps Eagle Globe and Anchors. Midshipmen third class Murphy, Yang, and Zamora took second place, and Midshipmen first class Hernandez and Bliek took third (page 2).
The winners, MIDN 4/C Calvert and Klein