Obaradai period
In July of the first grade, all the senior students went to the troops all over the country for training, and there is a period when only the first grade exists in the school.
This is the only fun period in which first graders, who have only been suppressed since April, will be released.
There is nothing special about it. When I'm usually oppressed, I feel happy with my palm-sized freedom.
I think this period is one of the most memorable things in the National Defense Academy.
National Defense Academy / Swimming Competition
One of the many competitions.
The National Defense Academy competition is contested by four battalions.
To be honest, the swimming competition is not exciting at all.
In the first place, even practice is done only a few times, and only the person himself knows who will appear in what event.
The production simply swims in a fixed order.
The only excitement is the cheering battle that takes place in between.
I don't know where and when I was practicing, but a highly complete show will be shown.
Rather, that is the main thing.
Summer vacation
National Defense Academy vacations are Golden Wake, summer vacation, and winter vacation.
It is average that summer vacation is crushed by club activities for 1 to 2 weeks out of 3 weeks.
The contents of club activities will be almost the same as those of general universities. However, the National Defense Academy does not have an event like other college students to enjoy a summer aventure like a club or a circle.
It's just hot and it just keeps doing hard things.
When the club activities are over, I will go on vacation. It's not as long as a regular college student, but it's one of the few opportunities to go home.
Holidays are exceptional because there is usually no freedom. It's usually over when you notice it.
And returning to school is really depressing. I think it's probably in the top 10 in my life.
As with all students and the National Defense Academy, I never got used to returning to school from a long vacation.
Both the students and the National Defense Academy are swayed by the Keikyu Line, and they return from Yokohama to Kamiooka to Yokosuka, but as the goal approaches, they usually feel gloomy.
Regular training
National Defense Academy students take courses that are similar to those of a general university.
Then, the training is sporadically conducted about once a week.
Regular training is generally set in summer, autumn and winter. The period is about 1 to 2 weeks.
Since the number of land, sea and air personnel has not yet been decided for the first graders, all of them will be trained in common.
According to my memory, it was basic training, swimming, and marching.
I enjoyed the training time without senior students because I was usually suppressed.
Theater festival
There is also a theater competition at the National Defense Academy.
Students think about the script themselves, prepare props and props, and practice.
I have only participated as a guest when I was in the 4th grade, but the degree of perfection is very high and I am impressed.
The plays that ranked first and second were certainly open to the public every year at the opening festival that followed.
Opening festival
It's a school festival that is always held around November.
3 days including the eve. Only students can participate in the eve of the festival, and artists are invited every time to get excited at live performances.
The second day is a battle training exhibition and a flower offering ceremony. There will be performances such as cheering party leaders, vulgar and humorous dances called TSO, plays and performances.
On the 3rd day, the main event of the opening festival was defeated. In recent years, the degree of attention has been so high that special features have been organized.
I heard through an acquaintance that His Majesty the Emperor also wanted to watch the game at that time, but it was not realized due to security restrictions.
Bo-taoshi planning and practice is carried out throughout the year.
Practice is in the morning and evening, but it is quite dark in the evening.
Even in practice, it is carried out on a daily basis with such intensity that injuries such as broken bones occur.
I participated every year, but I still think there is no other competition that is so thrilling.
For the time being, assaults such as hitting and kicking are prohibited by the rules of bo-taoshi.
As you can see by watching videos such as youtube, the actual performance is hitting each other no matter what.
After the match, first check if your nails or fingers are broken.
Clothes are also worn out, and in production, they are often seriously injured.
There is no hierarchical relationship between grades in bo-taoshi.
Only at this time, there is a lower sword.
However, in general, the 4th graders are more trained and are afraid of revenge, so it seems that there were more cases where senior students crushed the 1st graders.
Going out
Going out of the National Defense Academy is different from a small work.
National Defense Academy must leave the gate in uniform for 1 to 4 years.
And for the second grade and above, change into plain clothes at the boarding house you rented.
First graders cannot always go out in uniform and stay overnight.
The destination is Yokosuka Chuo, and it is customary to buy a large amount of rags needed for eating out or cleaning.
When I was walking at the station, I was sometimes mistaken for a station employee and asked for directions, and when I was walking in Akihabara, I was sometimes entangled with "This is that Gundam cosplay. Can I take a picture with you?" ..
Some first graders go out in uniforms or plain clothes in the bathroom outside. This is commonly referred to as going out in plain clothes, and sometimes it is discovered that you have plain clothes and you are hung up. When I think about it now, I wonder how much time I spent on crap in plain clothes.
On the other hand, second graders and above can go out quite freely, although it is limited to holidays.
There is a limit to the number of nights you can stay, but it is possible.
I don't know now, but at that time I had to rent a boarding house and change into plain clothes there for some reason. I remember that it was a burden to change clothes on a boarding house day of several thousand yen a month.
Personnel announcement
Land, sea and air personnel will be announced at the end of the first grade. It is popular in the order of sky> land> sea, and it will not change even now. It is no exaggeration to say that the future will be decided. Some of those who didn't go according to their wishes were in sync with crying on the spot.
