ANNAPOLIS, Md. (May 22, 2021) Midshipman 4th Class Michael Lancaster, 19, from Signal Mountain, Tenn., places the midshipman cover atop the Herdon Monument. USNA freshmen, or plebes, climb the Herndon Monument, a tradition symbolizing the successful completion of the midshipmen's freshman year. The class of 2024 completed the climb in 3 hours and 41 minutes, the second-slowest recorded time. As the undergraduate college of our country's naval service, the Naval Academy prepares young men and women to become professional officers of competence, character, and compassion in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Dana D. Legg)