The Impact of Prior Service on Performance as Midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy
Abstract
The purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between prior-enlisted service and academic and military performance at the United States Naval Academy (USNA). Two prior Naval Postgraduate School theses have explored different aspects of poor performance at USNA, with mixed results. One study suggests prior-enlisted Midshipmen perform higher, and one suggests they represent a statistically significant contribution to the bottom 10 percent of graduating classes. The primary hypothesis used for this research is that prior enlistment develops time management and other skills that assist the Midshipmen in overcoming the academic and military hardships at USNA, allowing them to excel more than direct-entry Midshipmen. Through models and analysis, the research attempts to identify whether this hypothesis is accurate, using admissions and performance data from Midshipmen graduating between the years 2013 and 2019. The results indicate prior-enlisted Midshipmen from Nuclear Power School have superior performance early in their time in USNA, but tend to perform similarly to direct-entry students overall, while other prior-enlisted Midshipmen perform worse than other demographics during all four years at USNA, demonstrated by their respective Orders of Merit in all categories over each of the four years. This study summarizes results and makes recommendations for future work.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1224370
Entities
People
- Benjamin J. Lucente
- Stephen A. Turnbull
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School