2nd Company | Massachusetts Maritime Academy Orientation

2nd Company Commander: William Gory

My name is Bill Gorry and I am from Wallingford, CT. I am majoring in Energy Systems Engineering and I am the second company commander for this upcoming year. I was a squad for last year’s orientation and have worked to find my leadership style over the last couple of years. I am highly motivated and personable and excited to help and guide incoming cadet candidates to succeed not just at the Academy but in their future lives and careers. I have a deep background with the Academy dating back to 1992. My father graduated in 1996 and has since instilled the morals of mass maritime into me throughout my entire life. My Company Staff and I will teach, guide, protect, and discipline the cadet candidates throughout the time of orientation. We will work tirelessly to ensure that the cadet candidates are safe and well taken care of. Our values for second company are leadership, togetherness, Self Discipline, Consistency, Courage/Confidence, and Growth. During orientation, these values will be instilled into our cadet candidates to start setting them up on the path to success.

I will be updating this page daily once orientation begins.

Orientation Day 1 08/18

The cadet candidates started their journey at Massachusetts Maritime Academy in a quick and high-energy manner. After they said goodbye to their friends and families, they took their first march down Academy Drive in platoons mixed with cadet candidates from all seven companies. Under the shade around campus, they studied their youngie knowledge. It is important for them to know the regimental staff and Academy staff, as these are the people that will be guiding, teaching, and mentoring them throughout their time here.

The cadet candidates were finally arranged into their respective companies at lunchtime, where they learned the importance of proper posture and table manners. After the delicious lunch from Chartwells, we marched out to the parade field to practice fundamental marching movements and commands. Today the cadet candidates were introduced to right face, left face, about face, marching in step, parade rest, and hand salute. They will use these marching and basic platoon movements in all four years here at the Academy, and for only a few hours of practice, they have made amazing progress. C/C McCord learned very quickly and was brave enough to display his newly learned skills in front of his shipmates.

After dinner, the cadet candidates attended a Medical Briefing meeting with Dr. Cukor and a Fire safety lecture. We collected all of the cadet candidates’ contraband, including their phones and computers, but do not worry, your cadet candidates are all in good hands and will happily see you at Orientation Graduation. After a fire drill, we ended the day with “nom-noms”, or nighttime snacks for your cadet candidates. Tonight’s special was Cheez-its and uncrustables, with alternatives for dietary restrictions.

Orientation Day 2 08/19

Today the Cadet candidates meet the cadre after being woken by their company squad leaders. After meeting the cadre and breakfast the cadet candidates sat in a meeting to learn about the academy’s history and the importance of watch standing on a ship. After the meeting, the cadet candidates got fitted for their uniforms for the next four years at the academy. They then proceeded to head to lunch where they were able to indulge in mac and cheese burgers and hot dogs. After lunch, they had a meeting about customs and traditions at the academy learning the many traditions that go back 100-plus years. After this meeting second company was able to defeat the seventh company in an intense match of dodgeball. After coming out victorious second company hit the showers and proceeded to get tested on the knowledge of academy staff and history. They then proceeded to dinner, indulging in rice, pasta, fish, and chicken. To end the night second company attended a firefighting lecture where they were able to learn and understand the different aspects of how to fight a fire. Overall second company had a great day and they are all looking forward to the PT test tomorrow morning.

Orientation Day 3 08/20

Second Company set the tone this morning before breakfast in our very first PT session. After a quick meal, we went to the gym to get fitted in uniforms and decompress a little. After we were all done in the gym, we set to the parade field to work on our marching skills. At lunch today the CCs had the pleasure of experiencing their first Chicken Patty Tuesday. Before intramurals, we went to the MCC for a meeting about academics at MMA. After a chicken dinner, we went to admirals hall for a couple of meetings before heading to bed.

Orientation Day 4 08/21

Orientation Day 5 08/22

Today second company woke up and headed over to stretch to get ready for the field exercise portion of PT. The field exercises consisted of push ups, planks, jump squats, jumping jacks, flutter kicks, and sit ups. All stations lasted about a minute each with built in time for hydration. After PT second company went to hit the showers and breakfast. After breakfast we went to the pool on campus to learn about various water survival techniques any person can do. From being able to flip an inflatable raft to different ways to use our bodies to be personal floating devices. After water survival second company went over to get fitted for there at sea uniforms which they will wear for most of the remaining parts of orientation. After this second company went over to go to there two meetings for the night the first being the athletics meeting allowing the Cadet Candidates to meet there coaches without the over looking eye of the regiment of cadets. After the athletics meeting cadet candidates went into another meeting with the regimental training and retention officer and her staff as they talked about the importance of the positions on campus. Over all another good day for second company, and we are looking forward to company pictures for tomorrow.

Orientation Day 6 08/23

During morning PT this morning second company completed a sunrise morning run across the Massachusetts Maritime Academy campus. After PT and a shower, the cadets went into the mess deck to have breakfast. After breakfast, the cadets spent time mastering their marching skills and learning their youngie knowledge. The cadets then traveled over to the ABS to get their photos taken for their Maritime key cards which they will use for their next four years to access the campus buildings. The cadets then spent time talking to their company officer and in this meeting, they discussed the day-to-day operations of how the Academy works during the school semester. The entire company then met up by the canal to take company photos which will be available to view after orientation. After the company photo, the cadets indulge in fish sandwiches, peas, fries, and pasta for lunch. After lunch, the cadets spent more time honing in on their drill skills and then spent time learning how to make their uniforms look clean and proper. In this time the cadets also learned how to make their rooms inspection-ready. The cadets then participated in intramurals where they competed against 5th company in dodgeball. Sadly in a heartbreaking defeat second company lost 2-1. The cadets then took another shower before dinner where they had chicken with white rice and pasta. To end off the night the cadets spent more time learning how to march and sat in on a meeting about shipboard customs and safety management systems.

Orientation Day 7 08/24

At morning PT today, 2co participated in the field exercises. The exercises included push-ups, crunches, a plank, a water break, jumping squats, side straddle hops (jumping jacks), flutter kicks, and one last water break. After PT, the cadets hit the showers and headed to the morning meal, where they indulged in pancakes, eggs, tater tots, and sausage. After breakfast, the cadets spent a few hours in their rooms and went over the procedure for their daily room inspections. During this time the squad leaders showed the cadet candidates how to make their racks properly, set up their inspection locker, and to smile socks. The cadets then went outside to the parade field to work on their marching skills. After marching the cadets went to lunch and had sloppy joes, french fries, corn, and salad. After lunch, the cadets had a meeting on the regimental manual which is the rules and regulations book that all cadets at the Academy must follow. This meeting was followed by a Student Government Association (SGA) meeting. In this meeting, the cadets learned about what the SGA offers to the school and how to get involved. The cadets then played a game of kickball, and they won 11-6! After a glorious win, the cadets hit the showers one more time and got ready for the evening meal. After dinner, the cadets broke off into groups by their major to gather more information on how their class load will be for the next four years. After this meeting, the cadets learned about the honor code and how community service works at the Academy. This was their last meeting for the night and even though the cadets spent a lot of time in meetings over the past week the cadet candidates of second company are excelling at becoming a team!

Orientation Day 8 08/25

Today was a more in-depth understanding of how procedures will work for the semester regarding inspections, uniforms, and other daily tasks. To start the day we allowed the cadet candidates to perform any religious practices instead of doing PT. If the cadet candidates didn’t want to partake in any religious activities they were allowed to do any tasks that would help prepare them for the day. After this, we went to morning formation, which the cadet candidates will do every morning for the entire school year. After this we allowed second company to study their knowledge in a more school-like setting in our lecture hall called admirals hall. Along with knowledge studying second company officer LT Coley had some time with the company as well to speak with and answer any more outstanding questions. After this second company went to their rooms to learn how to properly set up their rooms for inspections which will commence every morning. After lunch second company learned how to perform a couple of marching commands which will be vital to the company’s success in the marching competition on the afternoon of graduation day. Later that night after intramurals and an evening meal second company attended a conduct system meeting which went over the disciplinary aspect of the regiment, and the many different things Cadets of all classes can get put on restriction for. After this, the Regimental Commander and Executive Officer displayed the many uniforms that cadet candidates will see on campus. After the meeting second company was then brought back to the dorms to learn how to properly iron their uniforms and look presentable for these inspections.

Orientation Day 9 08/26

Today Second Company started the day with a second round of PT testing. The Cadet Candidates were given a chance to prove how they’ve progressed physically throughout Orientation. After breakfast, the CCs hopped on a bus heading to the fire academy in Bridgewater where they would learn the basics of firefighting with an emphasis on shipboard firefighting. After returning to campus, the CCs were disappointed to learn intramurals were canceled due to rain. We took advantage of the opportunity to stay inside and worked on room standards for inspections.