Dear Friends:

Welcome to the United States Naval Academy Home Page. We sincerely hope that this new electronic communication technology will be useful to you in learning more about our outstanding institution and our mission. Our mission is "to develop midshipmen morally, mentally and physically and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, honor and loyalty in order to provide graduates who are dedicated to a career of naval service and have potential for future development in mind and character to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government." This is a tall order, but one that we have been successfully fulfilling for over 150 years.

Since 1845 more than 60,000 young men and women have successfully completed "four years by the Bay" to take their hard-earned places in America's Naval service. Many Naval Academy graduates have achieved greatness and earned a special place in our nation's history during its struggle to grow and preserve its freedom. Their names resonate down through history - Dewey, Halsey, King, Lejeune, Nimitz, Rickover, Spruance, Burke, Stockdale, Carter . . . to name only a few.

Each of these outstanding individuals began his or her journey to greatness at the United States Naval Academy. And every summer, the future begins here with new opportunities and challenges for 1,200 young men and women from all 50 states and beyond, representing the very best our great democracy has to offer. Among these outstanding young people will emerge the future leaders of our Navy, Marine Corps and the country.

Our midshipmen complete a four-year immersion program that educates them not only in the classroom, but also outside the classroom - in their dormitory, aboard sailboats and yard patrol craft, on the athletic fields and during their summers in the fleet. Here at Annapolis, midshipmen cultivate skills that enable them to excel when they reach their first assignments in the fleet.

We also emphasize the importance of building character in all aspects of our program. The Naval Academy offers a unique opportunity where young men and women - from a diversity of races, regions, socio-economic groups and religions - gather in a special environment to learn and practice ideals that may often seem to be lacking in modern society. The result of this comprehensive process is a collective group of young leaders potentially more morally, mentally and physically sensitive than any that could be produced in another environment. That is what distinguishes the Naval Academy and its graduates.

Those of us who carry out the mission of the Naval Academy take pride in what we have accomplished, but we always strive to raise the bar of excellence. We must always provide the Naval service with leaders who demonstrate excellence in carrying out all their duties, but who do so with humility - achieving "excellence without arrogance." We stand prepared to show the American people the value of the Naval Academy - the value added by the Naval Academy - to the security, strength, vision and leadership of our nation.

At the Naval Academy, the American people invest in the future of our nation. This is where we sustain the hopes that our nation will continue to live in peace and liberty. This is where we mold young people who will protect the freedom cherished by past and current generations and all those yet to come. This is where we develop the leaders of tomorrow and cultivate and nurture our core values of courage, honor and commitment. This is where many of our nation's finest young people make the commitment to serve their country, as so many have before them. This is where we accept responsibility for shaping a vision of America's future.

We hope you enjoy visiting our web site, but we also hope that you will be able to visit us personally in the near future to see this national treasure.