While at Brockport, North spent a summer at the United States Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, and gained an appointment to the United States Naval Academy in 1963. He received his commission as second lieutenant in 1968, having missed a year due to serious back and leg injuries from an auto accident in which a classmate was killed. One of North's classmates at the academy was future secretary of the Navy and U.S. senator Jim Webb, whom he beat in a middleweight championship boxing match at Annapolis. (North had shown films of this match to Marine Medical Corps officials to prove that he had fully recovered from his serious accident and could endure the rigors of midshipman training.) Their graduating class included Dennis C. Blair, Michael Mullen, Jay L. Johnson, Charles Bolden and Michael Hagee.
while at brockport north spent a summer at the united states marine corps platoon leaders class at marine corps base quantico in virginia and gained an appointment to the united states naval academy in 1963 he received his commission as second lieutenant in 1968 having missed a year due to serious back and leg injuries from an auto accident in which a classmate was killed one of north's classmates at the academy was future secretary of the navy and us senator jim webb whom he beat in a middleweight championship boxing match at annapolis (north had shown films of this match to marine medical corps officials to prove that he had fully recovered from his serious accident and could endure the rigors of midshipman training) their graduating class included dennis c blair michael mullen jay l johnson charles bolden and michael hagee