Chow for the brigade
July 22nd, 2009 | Morale Naval Academy Officers | Posted by Phil Ewing
They may be second-guessing their life choices this summer, but these plebes will have luxurious new dining accommodations in King Hall by their junior year // Shannon O'Connor/Navy
This year’s class of freshmen, or “plebes,” has already begun its its plebe summer at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and it’ll spend a few weeks relaxing, going to amusement parks, and just bumming around until the school year resumes with upperclassmen this fall. When it does, midshipmen will have to deal with some major renovations to the academy’s cafeteria, King Hall, which is soon to undergo a $40 million renovation. The contract for the job was let yesterday.
“Food is a big morale issue — it’s pretty important to everybody, especially young people,” said Naval Academy superintendent Vice Adm. Jeffrey Fowler at a June 8 meeting of the academy’s Board of Visitors.
He also described the antiquated conditions of King Hall’s galley, including some kind of High Steampunk conveyor-belt deep-fat fryer — which, of course, was broken. The mids will have temporary chow facilities until the King Hall renovations are complete in 2011.