Formerly known as ACTRAMID, or Academic Training for Midshipmen, Service Week is a redesigned approach to the concept of servant leadership, and incorporates classroom learning, low ropes exercises, and community service projects.

''[Service Week’s] focus is on serving others before yourself and selfless leadership, and it enables [Midshipmen] to actually practice small group leadership,'' said Lt. Cmdr. Virgil Fenters, officer in charge of the Service Week program. ''Hopefully that will benefit them before they go out there and they actually start leading enlisted Sailors.''

Over the course of two and a half days, Midshipmen learn leadership communication skills focused on real-world situations. Midshipmen are tasked with giving presentations to their classmates as if they were addressing their enlisted personnel. Topics range from introducing themselves to their new divisions to motivating their Sailors or Marines during a challenging deployment.

According to Fenters, Service Week instructors work to shift the Midshipmen’s mindset, helping them see that they must first serve the people who work for them in order to be effective leaders.

''The biggest thing we are trying to do is get them to see themselves as servants first,'' said Fenters.

The Service Week curriculum focuses less on the classroom environment and more on interactive activities. Low ropes exercises show the Midshipmen the benefits of working together and taking care of their shipmates.

''We introduce them to the concept of taking ownership for not just your personal actions but for the people in the unit that you are a part of,'' said Fenters.

The instructors are primarily volunteers, and consist of officers and Chief Petty Officers from various departments throughout the Naval Academy. According to Fenters, Chiefs bring a unique point of view to program because of their relationship with junior officers in the Fleet, ''especially when it comes to things like leadership communications, introducing yourself to a platoon or a division,'' said Fenters.

In addition to teaching lesson plans on servant leadership principles, theories and behaviors, ownership, and leadership communications, the course facilitators also accompany the Midshipmen to community service projects throughout Anne Arundel County. The Midshipmen volunteer in groups of 10-12 with a variety of organizations, including the Boys and Girls Club of Glen Burnie, the Lighthouse Shelter in downtown Annapolis, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, just to name a few.

''The Midshipmen are in charge of going out there, figuring out what the project is, organizing themselves and then making it happen so that they can experience that small group leadership,'' said Fenters. ''The officer or senior enlisted person is there in order to observe and see if they actually do what they said they were going to do when they were in the classroom and then give them feedback.''

Fenters also said that during this feedback session the course facilitator takes the Midshipmen through the principles of servant leadership the Midshipmen did and did not apply.

''Every successful junior officer that I have seen ... felt it was their personal responsibility to add value to the unit they were part of,'' said Fenters. ''In order to do that, [Midshipmen] are going to have to serve those [they are] with.''

Fenters said officers must be able to provide the materials, resources, motivation and knowledge for those they are leading to accomplish the mission, and be willing to sacrifice their time and effort to do so. This concept is a large part of the vision of developing Midshipmen to lead an all-volunteer force of Sailors and Marines.

''The Superintendent often times has spoken about how as leaders we must learn to be effective communicators, selfless leaders and rolemodels for others. Service Week is entirely focused on that,'' said Fenters.

So far the new format of Service Week has received an overwhelmingly positive response from the Midshipmen. On a survey scale of one to five, the course is currently avera-ging a 4.5, with a strong indication that service to others is making an impact with the Midshipmen.

''They seem to really love the community service projects,'' said Fenters.

Service Week concludes August 13th.