How is the Naval Academy Brigade organized?

I'm thinking about applying to the Naval Academy and want to know more about the Brigade's organization. What does the structure look like and how does it affect daily life for midshipmen?

The Brigade at the U.S. Naval Academy is organized in a military fashion, mirroring the structure of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, to provide midshipmen with a proper environment for learning leadership and management skills.

The Brigade comprises around 4,400 midshipmen and is divided into two regiments. Each regiment contains three battalions, and each battalion encompasses five companies. So, the Brigade consists of a total of 36 companies. This is a similar layout to that of real active-duty Navy or Marine Corps units, exposing midshipmen to the structure they will encounter post-graduation.

The organizational structure directly affects the daily life of midshipmen. Each company is like its own small community with about 150 midshipmen from all four classes. Midshipmen within their respective companies live together, march together to meals, and compete in athletics and other brigade competitions together. This shared experience fosters camaraderie and mutual accountability.

Leadership positions within this structure are filled by the midshipmen, offering them abundant opportunities to develop and exercise leadership skills. For example, a midshipman first class (senior) serves as the Brigade Commander, the highest leadership position a midshipman can hold. Every company and battalion has its own set of student leaders as well.

In a nutshell, the Naval Academy's Brigade structure serves as a dynamic training ground for future Navy and Marine Corps officers to learn and refine their leadership abilities.