Honor is a topic that is treated with the utmost respect from the first day of Plebe year to Graduation. Upon entering the Academy, all Midshipman sign an Honor Oath. This oath, administered by the officers of the Honor Board, binds each Midshipman to uphold the Honor Code at all times, in all hemispheres of the globe, on all oceans.
- Lie - A lie is considered a deliberate attempt to present an oral or written untruth, quibble, or make a non-verbal communication with the intent of misleading another person(s).
- Cheat - To cheat is to attempt to possess or obtain unauthorized assistance in submitting work designed to represent one's own efforts with an intention to gain an unfair advantage over others. Similarly, plagiarism is considered cheating. Cheating also involves any attempt to knowingly assist another person by word or action when such assistance is prohibited.
- Steal - To steal is to attempt to wrongfully take, obtain, or withhold property without the consent of the owner, either temporarily or permanently, with the intent of depriving the owner of the property.
Every midshipman has a moral obligation to take action. If a Midshipman witnesses an honor violation and fails to do something about the infraction, they are will be awarded demerits for failing their duties as an Officer in training. It is left to the witnessing Midshipman to use his/ her best judgment in the given situation.
Upon witnessing an honor violation, a Midshipman is morally obligated to take one of the following actions:
- Personally confront the individual and counsel them on why they possibly violated the Honor Code.
- Report the incident to the Company Honor Board Chairman. The CHBC will hold an Informal Counseling Session with the Accused.
- Complete a "Report a Possible Violation" and submit it to the CHBC. This initiates a formal counseling session and formal procedures. An investigation and hearing may ultimately result from this action.
If a hearing is deemed necessary, then an eleven-member panel will convene, hear the evidence, and make a recommendation to the Commandant and Superintendent. This system of a midshipman run Honor Board benefits all midshipmen by creating an atmosphere which improves the quality of life and the educational experience at the Academy.