KINGS POINT, N.Y.  February 21, 2014 -Today, Rear Admiral James A. Helis, Superintendent announced that Acceptance Day for the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) Class of 2018 will be held on Saturday, August 9^th 2014.  In recent years, Acceptance Day was held during Parents Weekend, but going forward Plebe Candidates and their families will enjoy a separate weekend that celebrates their accomplishments.

“The Academy is conducting Acceptance Day in August to formally recognize the completion of the initial indoctrination process for the Class of 2018 and their joining the Regiment of Midshipmen and the US Navy Reserve,” said CAPT Jay Kennedy Commandant of Midshipmen. “This special weekend will focus on the Class of 2018 and their families, and we hope this will maximize both the parents and Plebes’ time together and give parents an opportunity to enjoy and learn more about Kings Point.”

The main reason for moving Acceptance Day forward is to standardize training for each incoming class.  Acceptance Day has typically been tied to the weekend of the first home football game which does not have a standardized date each year.  Therefore, each Plebe class’ training experience was different.   The intent of the new schedule is to hold Acceptance Day two weeks after the Regiment reforms for first trimester.    Moving Acceptance Day to a set time each year provides a fixed schedule which enables the Commandant’s staff and Midshipmen Officers to better plan and coordinate Plebe Training.  The new timeframe also allows more upper class Midshipmen to be involved in the Plebe training sooner.

During Acceptance Day Weekend, the Academy will host several events for the parents of the Class of 2018 beginning on Friday, August 8^th.  On Saturday, August 9^th, members of the Class of 2018 who are in good-standing will be granted overnight liberty following the Acceptance Day Parade.

Parents Weekend will be held September 19-21, 2014. Highlights will include the Ceremony of Beating Retreat on Friday, September 19^th and a Regimental Review and home football game on Saturday September 20^th.  While Acceptance Day is exclusive to the Class of 2018, Plebe parents are welcome to return for Parents Weekend should they wish.

Academy Superintendent Rear Admiral James Helis added, “We are moving Acceptance Day earlier to tie it to the initial accomplishments of the plebe candidates.   Families of future plebe classes will now have two major opportunities to visit with their midshipmen, Acceptance Day and Parents Weekend.”

Detailed schedules for both Acceptance Day and Parents Weekend will be posted to the Academy website and distributed to all midshipmen at a future date.