18 Naval Academy students expelled for cheating

On Friday, the U.S. Naval Academy announced its decision to expel 18 midshipmen for cheating on their General Physics I exam. Those expelled are among 105 midshipmen in total found to have, “likely accessed unauthorized resources.”

Naval Academy Superintendent Vice Adm. Sean Buck commented on the decision in the announcement, stating, “Character development is an ongoing process and midshipmen must make the choice to live honorably each day and earn the trust that comes with a commission in the Navy or Marine Corps. This incident demonstrates that we must place an increased focus on character and integrity within the entire brigade.”

Some are claiming that this outcome is a direct result of online classes, due to the fact that proctoring standards have slipped without the possibility of in-person supervision.

Cheating abound

The cheating incident at the Naval Academy follows a handful of similar situations that have happened in the past year.

Last year, a total of 73 cadets at West Point were roped into a separate cheating scandal that was the worst the school had faced in nearly forty years. Fifty-five of those cadets admitted to cheating on a calculus test in last May.

Airmen are no exception to this problem either.

Nearly 250 Air Force Academy cadets were caught cheating on various exams and assignments during the shift to virtual classes in 2020. This was the first instance where remote learning was pointed to as an influencing factor.

All of these instances beg the question: Why is this happening?

Regardless of the affiliated branch, it is important that those who become officers are well-equipped with the education they need in order to succeed. But if the honor code continues to slip, at any of these schools, so too does the quality of our armed forces.

Only time will tell whether this is a symptom of a larger issue inherent to military education, or, if it is instead, a result of online test-taking standards.