By Joseph P Cirone

Henry E. Mooberry Division

U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps

 

            WASHINGTON (September 1, 2009) – Leaving thoughts of schoolwork, teachers and books behind, teens belonging to the Henry E. Mooberry Division of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps (NSCC), which is based at the Naval Support Activity Washington’s (NSAW) historic Washington Navy Yard, began their summer Sea Cadet adventures before the month of June ended.

            Many of the unit’s youth, comprised of males and females, ages 10 to 18, enjoyed a summer filled with surface ship and boat operations and sailing; submarine, special operations, medical, aviation and port operations training opportunities throughout the United States, in addition to an international exchange program and for new members, boot camp.

Lower cost and more beneficial than summer camps, day care and other programs designed to occupy the time and attention of youth during the summer school break, the NSCC offers life-enhancing educational, character building and fun basic and advanced training opportunities, worldwide. New friends are met, old friends are reunited and life and career-related skills are learned, leveraged and built upon.

For many newer Cadets, Recruit Orientation, commonly referred to as boot camp, and lasting a week or two (depending on a Cadet’s age), was their first extended time away from home. During their boot camp experience, Cadets learned basic military drill, customs, courtesies, naval history, water survival, first aid, shipboard and field hygiene and other knowledge and skills, designed to expose them to military life and bolster their self-reliance, independence, self-confidence and leadership.

 

International Exchange Program

 For Cadets who completed boot camp, many different, fun and exciting training and traveling opportunities, lasting two to three weeks each, were available throughout the country. For a select number of Cadets, opportunities to train and travel to different countries were available as part of the NSCC’s International Exchange Program (IEP).

Mooberry Division Sea Cadet Petty Officer (cadet) Kathryn Plata and Ens. Janice Lavoie, one of the unit’s adult volunteers, did not have to travel abroad to take part in the IEP. The IEP came to them. Sea Cadets from the United Kingdom, Sweden, Canada and Ghana, came to the Naval Postgraduate School in Newport, RI, as exchange Cadets (in exchange for NSCC Cadets sent to their countries) to take part in the U.S. east coast phase of the IEP, under of the direction of Lcdr. Michael Campbell, NSCC.

“Last year we also had Cadets from Singapore, but they were unable to make it this year. Singapore and the countries that did send Cadets and adults are part of our big, worldwide Sea Cadet family. We share many things in common, including the love of our countries, admiration and support of our sea services. The Cadets and adults that I have worked with in the last two years were delightful,” Lavoie, who served as the IEP medical officer, said.

During the IEP, in addition to damage control and other training at the Newport base, there were visits to the Naval Submarine Base in Groton Ct., Coast Guard Academy in New London, Ct., the USS Constitution in Boston, Mass., USS Massachusetts and a Torpedo Patrol Boat (PT) in Fall River, Mass., and an overnight trip to New York City. “I love shopping, but the visiting Cadets even out-shopped me,” Lavoie chuckled.

 

Jazz, Drill Teams, Food and Fireworks

 

On Jul. 4, NSCC members attended the first-ever Joint Base Open House, held at Bolling Air Force Base (BAFB) and sponsored by NSAW and BAFB, in celebration of the nation’s Fourth of July Independence Day and their commands’ partnership in forming the future Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, which will consolidate the Naval Support  Facility Anacostia and BAFB.  

 

At Bolling, unit members enjoyed spectacular jazz and traditional music performed by the Navy and Air Force bands; were further entertained by the Navy and Air Force Silent Drill teams; took part in games, and had a variety of foods and beverages, before watching the dazzling National Fireworks display, from their vantage point on the edge of the Potomac River, affording them a front row seat.    

 

In August, the unit’s members helped plan for its 2010 Training Year, a period of time that coincides with the area school year, September to August.

Training topics, field trips, social events and award ceremonies were among the items discussed and added to the unit’s yearly plan. The streamlining of the unit’s organizational structure and some leadership changes were also discussed.

 

College scholarships, advanced military pay grades possible

 

“The unit welcomes new cadet and adult members. Males and females, ages 10 to 18 and adults, ages 21 and up, are eligible to apply for membership – no prior military experience is necessary and there is absolutely no military obligation resulting or expected once a person joins the program,” according to Sea Cadet Ens. Hector Fandino, the unit’s recruiting officer.

For youth desiring to voluntarily join the military when eligible, NSCC members may enlist at an advanced paygrade (up to E-3). NSCC members are also eligible for a variety of college scholarships, many open exclusively to members of the NSCC.

Over 350 former members of the unit have enlisted in the Navy, Coast Guard, Army and Marine Corps in the last three decades, according to official records. Two current Cadets voluntarily enlisted, and are scheduled to report to Marine Corps boot camp in late June, 2010.

“Approximately 12% of the annual freshman class at the U.S. Naval Academy are former members of the NSCC; four times as many than some other similar programs,” Fandino reported. 

 “Similar results are found at other federal, state-based and private military academies, such as West Point, the Citadel and Virginia Military Institute,” according to Lavoie. The Sea Cadet program offers youth great opportunities to learn, grow and have fun. Our unit at the Navy Yard is one of the oldest, largest and best. Some people travel more than two hours to get here,” Lavoie concluded.