Summer Cruise
A significant portion of midshipmen's professional training during their four-year curriculum is received during summer training ("Cruise").
Midshipmen must ultimately make decisions as to which warfare area they will request to be commissioned into; CORTRAMID and the various summer training programs are designed to instill awareness of these areas and provide midshipmen with the background necessary to make informed decisions regarding their career choice.
Navy summer training begins with Career Orientation and Training for Midshipmen (CORTRAMID), which is for midshipmen before there sophomore year. During this summer cruise all third-class scholarship midshipmen go through a four-week orientation to various parts of the fleet. Each week is dedicated to one of four fields: Aviation Warfare, Marine Corps, Surface Warfare, and Submarine Warfare.
Second-class Navy-option midshipmen (rising juniors) embark on a cruise fully integrated within the enlisted crew of a surface warship. Second-class Marine-options can choose to attend Mountain Warfare School, Combined Armed Exercises, as well as other Marine Corps-oriented choices.
First-class midshipmen will go on summer training/cruises to various other areas to further decide what he/she wants to do in the Navy and Marine Corps. These cruises include:
- Nuclear Power: Midshipmen can be assigned to nuclear submarine or nuclear surface vessels.
- Officer Candidate School: First class Marine Option midshipmen are assigned to Marine units for summer training.
- Afloat Aviation Option: Selected midshipmen train aboard a carrier; training includes flight time on navy aircraft.
- Ashore Aviation Option: Selected midshipmen train w/ a Navy aviation squadron, including flight time.
- Foreign Exchange Training of Midshipmen (FOREXTRAMID) and Japanese Maritime Self-defense Force (JMSDF) Exchanges: Selected midshipmen train with Navies of other countries.
The average summer training for any midshipmen is 4 weeks long. NROTC students do not have any other obligations during the summer, and they are free to take summer classes, work, or spend time at home.
