Cadet soon will dive into summer

Joshua Steves enjoys the academic challenge the U.S. Naval Academy makes possible.

ABOUT JOSHUA STEVES
AGE: 19

OCCUPATION: Student at the U.S. Naval Academy

CONNECTION: Old Braeswood resident

FAST FACT: Steves is an accomplished gymnast. Two years ago, he competed in the Maccabiah, an international Jewish athletic event similar to the Olympics that's held every four years in Israel. "It was great experience," Steves says. "That was the first time I had ever been to Israel and meeting international athletes from all over the world and training with them."

Some teens' summer plans may include a trip to Europe, camping or working a job. Joshua Steves of Old Braeswood intends to spend time inside a nuclear submarine.

Steves, who recently completed his first year with the U.S. Naval Academy, on June 30 will start two training "blocks" the USNA refers to as cruises. Each cruise is for a duration of one month, and they're intended to serve as professional development training exercises.

Steves' first cruise will be on a ship conducting research and development. He'll start his second cruise in August on a nuclear sub before starting his second year at the USNA.

"I'm looking forward to it," Steves says. "I heard from other classmates it's a great experience. You learn actually what the Navy is like, and you get to know what you want to do."

Steves says he isn't sure which ship or submarine he'll serve on this summer, but he already knows he'd one day like to become an officer assigned to a submarine once he graduates from the USNA.

"It's a little more in the intellectual community," Steves says of submarine assignments. "You have to have better grades, better scores and the enlisted personal also have to go through nuclear power school, which seems very interesting."

Steves says it's his affinity for math, science and physics that drew him to the USNA.

"The Naval Academy pushes people to technical degrees," he says. "I kind of have been good at numbers. It's been my strong suit, academically. I enjoy problem solving."

The USNA evidently agrees Steves possesses the intellectual chops to potentially serve as a capable officer. Of an estimated 19,000 who applied to the academy, only 1,200 are in his class, Steves says.

Steves will know if he will eventually serve in the Marines or Navy in his junior year, and he'll find out what his first assignment will actually be when he's a senior.

"I was originally recruited for gymnastics," Steves says. "That's how I got interested in the (academy), but the more I looked into it, I saw that it's a great education with a career."

Paul R. Kopenkoskey is a freelance writer. He can be reached at neighborhood@chron.com.