Plebe Summer Vocabulary

When you receive your phone calls from your Plebe, you’ll quickly realize he/she has adopted a new vocabulary.  The calls will be very short, so you need to get up to speed on the terms you’ll hear during the phone calls.  Don’t waste time asking for an explanation or you’ll run out of time!  Plan ahead and commit these terms to memory…

• ALL CALL - a requirement, as punishment, that a Plebe perform CHOW CALLS more frequently than usual - for instance, every minute for 10 minutes before breakfast and lunch, instead of just 10 minutes and five minutes before.
  
  
• BILGE - to undercut, to stab in the back, make another look bad.
  
  
• BRACE - Chin tucked into the neck cavity, eyes straight ahead - a required Plebe rite.
  
  
• BULKHEAD  - Wall
  
  
• CARRY ON - a privilege conferred on a Plebe to act normally.
  
  
• CHAIR FORCE – a reference to the service that does their fighting in a chair.
  
  
• CHIT - written permission or excuse.  A medical chit may excuse a Plebe from morning PEP.
  
  
• CHOPPING - a manner in which Plebes must move in Bancroft’s hail and stairways; Plebes chop by taking short, double-time steps (about 160-180 steps per minute).
  
  
• CHOW CALLS - Plebe rates; 10 minutes and five minutes before breakfast and lunch. Plebe quickly recite (1) where the formation is (inside or outside), (2) the uniform of the formation, (3) the menu of the meal, (4) the midshipman and officer on duty for the day, (5) the week’s professional topic, and (6) the day’s major events in the YARD.
  
  
• DECK - The floor or ground.
  
  
• DETAILER - Plebe summer instructor, usually a 2/C midshipman.
  
  
• DIXIE CUP - A sailor hat edged in blue and worn only by Plebes during Plebe summer.
  
  
• FLAMER - An upperclassman who is excessively harsh on Plebes.
  
  
• FORM UP – To meet at a designated place and time.
  
  
• HIT THE BULKHEAD –  If this definition doesn’t make sense to you, you’re not trying hard enough… it incorporates four other vocabulary terms you were supposed to memorize above.  Upon command, Plebes must stop whatever they are doing, chop onto the deck, face the bulkhead, slap it twice with their open palm, do an about face and come to attention with their back to the bulkhead – braced.
  
  
• MID MALL – A term that better describes the Mid Store.
  
  
• MOTHER B – Affectionate term for Bancroft Hall – home for the next four years.
  
  
• PEP – Physical Education Program – also known as Physical Extermination Program – is a daily exercise regimen performed on the practice field at 0540
  
  
• PLEBE – The lowest form of human life.
  
  
• SEPARATION – The process by which a Mid drops out, or is expelled from USNA.
  
  
• SQUARE – The manner in which Plebes must make turns.  They must make sharp turns, no rounding of the corners.  To extend the concept, Plebes are not allowed to use any of the curved (shortcut) sidewalks along Stribling Walk.  They must take the longer routes so they can square their corners properly…
  
  
• TECUMSEH – The statue of the famous Indian chief that is at the junction of Stribling Walk and the entrance to the Bancroft courtyard.  This is the universal place to form up with your Mid.
  
  
• TOURS – A form of punishment.  The Plebe is to carry a rifle and march in a square, usually for at least an hour at a time.  If a Plebe receives demerits, he/she may be sentenced to 15 hours of Tours.
  
  
• T COURT – The courtyard in front of the Bancroft front entrance.  Named after Tecumseh.
  
  
• YARD – The United States Naval Academy campus.