Those brave and immature children-----Navy officer alternate

The rank of midshipman is rather vague. Most of them are juveniles who actually learn sailing and combat on warships. These teenagers are usually the bastards of middle-class families. They boarded the ship as an officer’s handyman at about 13 years old. After two years of sailing, they can become alternate students through an introducer at the age of 15, and they can join a lieutenant at the age of 20. take an exam. These are regulations. Of course, many people have tried to "circumvent" them, such as falsely reporting their age, falsifying seniority (the name is registered on the ship but it hasn’t been on board for that long), the famous Nelson was admitted as a lieutenant officer at the age of 18, and he was promoted to captain at the age of 20. Just one example. Of course, there are also bad luck or bad relationships. They may have gray hair and are still candidates, and they can't pass the test. Although there are some drawbacks, the system is generally good. These candidates learn from actual work, work side by side with the chief sergeant, sergeant, and sailors, climb up and down the mast, sweat in the bottom cabin, and can better understand the thoughts of the lower sailors. When they later become lieutenants, captains, or even generals, this experience will be of great help to their leadership.

The navy candidates, board and lodging are in the cabin on the bottom deck, which is located in a dirty place below the waterline of the warship. There, the rotten smell of the spoiled butter and cheese in the storage room was mixed with the foul smell of the sewage from the bottom of the ship when it shook. The dining table used for eating is also the workbench for military doctors to treat the wounded. It is said that experienced personnel can distinguish between the stewed meat and the dried blood.
The jokes are rough and corporal punishment is prevalent here, which is not where the delicate young people stay. The weak among the candidates are often bullied and coerced. The hanger is cut off while sleeping, clothes are stolen, and food is stolen.
But as trainee officers, these young people must endure this kind of hard life. They have to learn almost all the jobs on the ship, including those dangerous jobs on the mast. Although they are very young, they enjoy most of the privileges of naval officers. They have absolute power over the new sailors on the ship, but they often abuse this power. Many brave and strong sailors were forced to obey the insults and lashes of the young tyrants whose faces were shaved, and it was not a matter of suing their superiors.
Some navy candidates appear to be younger than their actual age. There was a young navy candidate who was so naive, he even ate his thumbs. There was also an 11-year-old navy alternate who gave birth to a misunderstanding and was spanked in public by his father, who was the captain.
However, not all navy candidates are young, and some are nearly 50 years old. After serving six years of service, these people failed the assessment for promotion to lieutenant. They are navy candidates for life, and they still live with the noisy young people.
This group of people divided by age and ambition gradually developed a habit. Soon after dinner every day, an older candidate stuck a fork in the beam. This is to send a signal to young people to take out the hanging bunk for them and hang it in the cabin separated by the curtain. This is probably for the purpose of dreaming about promotion there, and also to make those who are unhappy about their official careers drink indulgently. They repeatedly report their boring things and vent their grievances to their heart's content.

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