Midshipman introduces students to academy opportunities

You don't hear much about boat school as a student in this region, says Midshipman Aiden Coberly.

That's why he took the opportunity to spend the week before Thanksgiving traveling around northeast Wyoming to present at schools on behalf of the United States Naval Academy, including in Sundance and Hulett.

His aim was to sharing his reasons for being at the academy – and why he'd love for more kids from this area to consider it for themselves.

Now in his second year at the academy, Coberly says he hasn't come across many peers who experienced a small-school upbringing like he did in Upton. When he tells classmates that he graduated with 15 others, he laughs, their jaws drop.

"There's not too many rural kids and I think it's a valuable trait to have, especially when you have an academy that's so diverse and the fleet is so diverse," he says.

It's a shame, Coberly says, because he believes that kids from this part of the world have an advantage: "We're not afraid of hard work, which is an invaluable trait – especially at the naval academy and once you get to the big fleet."

When he looks back on his childhood, he can think of several classmates who were pretty good leaders amongst the group and could thrive as an officer.

"Getting more of the small-town kids in there, I think it could help provide a different point of view that could be useful to the military," he says.

Future Advantages

Coberly applied to the academy for the same reason he wants to let others know the opportunity exists: to set himself up for the future.

"One of the things they talk about when you're first applying is that it's not about the four years you're at the academy – it's about the next 40," he says.

"[It's about] the advantage you'll have on your peers when you graduate because you come out with a guaranteed job, debt-free because the naval academy is all paid for and the job itself of being an officer pays well."

Medical insurance and other benefits are also provided, he says, both for the student and their family.

There's a two-year grace period after joining the academy where a student can leave with no penalty if they decide the academy is not for them. After that time, students must sign a contract through which they complete the rest of their education and, in return for the military's investment, commit to five years of service.

"There's a minimum five-year commitment after graduating that you have to stay in the Navy for, and then you can either decide to retire or go make a career of it. Even just those five years as a military officer, companies jump on that," he says.

"I'm a political science major but I could potentially get a job with Boeing. Not because I know how airplanes work, but because they know of the resources that the academy has put into developing me into a leader and having all that administrative experience and team-driving experience."

Taste Tests

Coberly himself did not find out about the academy through outreach. He, to all intents and purposes, was the one who sought out the school.

"I understood kind of what the service academies were – that they were colleges to go into the military – but I didn't understand what an officer was, I just knew them as a boss in the military," he says.

In his freshman year, Coberly visited Washington, D.C. on a school trip, with his father acting as one of the chaperones. On a whim, they took a tour of the naval academy.

Once it came time for him to decide on the next step of his education, he applied to the academies of all three branches of the military, though Navy was the one he set his sights on because he knew more about it.

"I wasn't necessarily set on going to an academy, I just wanted to set myself up and give myself options," he says.

Part of his goal in speaking directly with students was to let them know that there are other ways to find out more than traveling to the capital. For kids who are interested, but would like to see how it works before considering an application, the academy has set up several "taste test" opportunities.

"There are a couple of different programs before senior year of high school that go out to the naval academy just to see what it's like, see how things are run," Coberly says.

Summer STEM is available for early high school kids, an opportunity to spend a week at the naval academy with midshipmen undertaking fun projects.

Students who are interested in seeing what life is like at the academy can also opt for the week-long Summer Seminar program the week before their senior year, spending time on campus trying our some of the things that students do, Coberly says, like competitions and workouts.

"It's probably the closest thing that you'll get to see what the academy is like before being a student there," he says.

Future Officers

The qualities Coberly feels are vital in a potential student of the academy start with a willingness to serve your country and community, but also include a strong work ethic, open-mindedness – one of the phrases they use at the academy is, 'be comfortable being uncomfortable', he says – willingness to get out of your comfort zone and perseverance.

"They set you up for small failures so you know that just one thing going wrong isn't the end of the world," he says.

Applications usually open up for the academy in the spring of a student's junior year.

"You also have to get a nomination from your Congressional representative or senator. There are some other routes, too, but that's the most common one," he says.

"It's a separate application process and there's a little more to it, but basically it helps find the committed kids."

Coberly recommends taking a look around the admissions website at usna.edu/admissions for more information about what to expect from the academy or upcoming camps, or to contact officers who are able to answer questions. He's also happy to chat with students about his own experience and can be contacted through [email protected].

The four years at the academy are no breeze, he says, and it's not supposed to be for everyone. Expect Ivy League-level acceptance standards and work expectations.

But if you can get through those four years and the five of service afterwards, Coberly believes the academy is a way for a student to set themselves up for life, whatever they choose to do afterwards.

"Small town kids can go big places," he smiles.

It's worth the effort, he says, and it's not as though the kids of northeast Wyoming are afraid of a hard day's work.