At the United States Naval Academy, even walking comes with rules.
First-year midshipmen, known as “plebes,” follow regulations dictating how to walk, eat, speak, and countless other expectations as part of their transition from civilians to officers in the US Navy and the US Marine Corps.
This decorum, tied to a deep sense of duty and pride in long-held military traditions, was on full display when I visited the 338-acre waterfront campus in Annapolis, Maryland.
The grand architecture, historic rituals, and unfailingly polite greetings from uniformed service members created a palpably reverential atmosphere.
Even visitors like me are tasked…
