Midn. 4/C Anthony Emberger works with another Midshipman on board Yard Patrol (YP) craft 698 while training with the YP Squadron. Part of the Midshipmen’s YP training includes the YP Color Competition. USNA photo by MCC(SW/SCW) Dennis J. Herring.

‘‘The YP Color Competition was the best teamwork exercise I’ve ever seen,” said Midn. 4⁄C Muhammed Khan, of 2nd Company. ‘‘We all knew the job we had to do and we did it well.”

The competition is part of the annual Color Company Competition that recognizes the company that excels in academics, athletics and professional accomplishments. The winning company receives the Color Company pennant during the final formal parade of the academic year.

For the YP competition, each company fields a team of nine Midshipmen. Each team member takes an initial written test covering basic navigation and shiphandling. Based on the overall scores for each team, the top eight continue to the quarterfinals which take place on the YPs.

‘‘It’s a good opportunity for people who aren’t in the YP Squadron to get some of that experience underway that applies not just to surface warfare, but also to things like leadership and teamwork,” said Midn. 1⁄C Eric Stromme, the YP Squadron Commodore and lead for the 2nd Company YP team.

Each team prepared a chart and a navigation brief prior to getting underway. Once on the water, an officer and senior enlisted graded the teams on their navigation skills as well as their ability to successfully complete a simulated anchorage, a man overboard drill and mooring to a pier. The overall profes-sionalism of the teams was also taken into account.

‘‘I’m very proud of the 2nd Company YP team,” said Chief Aviation Support Equipment Technician (AW⁄SW) Joey Mahoney, senior enlisted leader for 2nd Company. ‘‘It comes as little surprise that they were victorious.”