By Joseph P Cirone

Henry E. Mooberry Division

U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps

 

WASHINGTON (October 5, 2009) – It was once said that, “You can observe a lot just by watching,” but for the youth members and adult volunteers of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps (NSCC) Henry E. Mooberry Division, based at the Naval Support Activity Washington’s (NSAW) historic Washington Navy Yard, just watching is not in their plans.

Following a summer filled with surface ship and boat operations; sailing, submarine, special operations, medical, aviation and port operations training; international exchange programs and for new members, boot camp, the unit and its Sea Cadets began its 2010 Training Year, with an air of excitement and energy. Doing, not watching.

 

Burgers, potato salad, Vets and filet mignon

 

            At the unit’s first Drill of the new season, on Sep. 12, 2009, returning cadets and adult volunteers were joined by invited guests, family and friends to a Barbeque lunch, coordinated by Inst. Tye Mullikin; supported by the unit’s Parent’s Auxiliary and held at NSAW’s Naval Support Facility Anacostia.

            Attendees enjoyed hot dogs, burgers, a variety of salads, chips, beverages and treats, many of which where handmade or otherwise supplied by parents and adult volunteers.

            NSAW’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) helped support the social event by providing the site, volleyball court and balls for cadets to play volleyball and soccer.

            The event was Mullikin’s first as an adult volunteer and the first as the unit’s official “Party Parent.” The event went smoothly because of the good planning, coordination and the support of parents and adult volunteers.

            Following the social, a van-full of cadets – members of the unit’s Honor Guard – and two adult volunteers formed “Task Force Sunrise” and departed the Navy Yard for a combination  independent living/assisted living facility in Arlington, Va., where they presented the colors, then helped recognize a number of World War II Vets.

            With the unit’s commanding officer serving as the recognition ceremony’s emcee, Veteran’s names, ranks and branch of service were read aloud and the Vet rose or otherwise acknowledged the recognition, as Cadets presented them with a WWII Veteran’s Medal provided by the facility.

            Cadets engaged in conversation with many of the Vets, their spouses and others living and working in the facility. “The Vets really like talking with the Cadets. They couldn’t believe our Cadets were not enlisted in the military. They kept complementing them and their good military bearing. It was great to see some of our most honored and quickly disappearing Vets so full of excitement and have a genuine desire to talk with the young people,” Sea Cadet Ens. Janice Lavoie, the unit’s medical and personnel officer reported.

            Upon completion of the ceremony, the Task Force sat down and enjoyed a gourmet filet mignon dinner at the facility. For some Cadets, it was their first experience having a gourmet meal in a semi-formal dining environment.

            Completing its community outreach mission, the Task Force rejoined the bulk of the unit aboard the USS Barry (DD 933), a Korean War-era destroyer, at the Washington Navy Yard, where they berthed in the crew quarters overnight. Cadets pulled overnight safety and security watches and manned the Quarterdeck on a rotating basis.

           

Special events continue

 

            The following week, on Sep. 19, 2009, the unit’s Master-At-Arms (MAA) and Auxiliary Security Force (ASF) were deployed at the request of NSAW to provide security and safety at the USO’s Deployed Family Fun Day at the Washington Navy Yard.

            Navy trained MAAs, supported by the unit’s ASF personnel, formed “Strike Team Stephens,” providing pier and waterfront security. The Cadets also helped guide visitors to the USS Barry to tour the ship and answered questions about the Sea Cadet program.

            Throughout the day-long event, the Strike Team prohibited people from accessing the waterfront walkway and piers, as well as ensuring the safety for nearly 400 people attending the event.

            During the event, the units new members and other (non-Strike Team) Cadets participated in the unit’s normal Drill, as well as visited the USO event.

             Early the following morning, using flashlights to pierce the darkness, Cadets and some adult volunteers were deployed to the Pentagon to assist NSAW’s MWR with the operation of the Navy 5 Miler race.

            Cadets Anna and Hannah Lan ran in the race, while nearly 20 other Cadets and a group of adult volunteers staffed water stops and food tents, helping racers recover from the early morning event.

            The Lans were the only Sea Cadets in the race. They represented the NSCC well. Cadet A. Lan placed 2nd and Cadet H. Lan placed 3rd in the female age group 15 – 19 category, beating many others in the category

 

Cadets meet history – “It ain’t over till it’s over”

 

            On Sep. 22, 2009, two Mooberry Division Cadets and the Commanding Officer had the opportunity to meet and be with a few people who made history. FedEx CEO Fred Smith, a Marine Corps veteran and officer; Leonard Lauder, Chairman Emeritus of the Estee Lauder Companies and World War II Veteran and one of the most famous, often quoted baseball players and the greatest catcher of all time – Yogi Berra!

            Each of the three naval Vets were honored with the Lone Sailor award at a black-tie gala at the National Building Museum, where Cadets Kathryn Plata and Brian DeShong were among the honored guests of Mr. Morgan L. Fitch, Jr., founder of the Sea Cadet program in the United States. 

            With television cameras focused on the event, Cadet Plata was given the distinct honor of taking the stage and leading the hundreds of people present in the Pledge of Allegiance, with the joint Navy-Coast Guard-Marine Corps Color Guard presenting the colors. Upon completing the pledge, Plata took the opportunity to further win over the attendees and television audience by exclaiming, “Go Navy, beat Army!”

            “This was probably the only awards show in town preceded by a national anthem and pledge of allegiance (capped off with a cry of “Go Navy, beat Army!”), and at no point did Kanye West rush the stage…” journalist Eliot Stein wrote in the Washingtonian.    

            The guests at the event dined on fine food, watched short videos on the accomplishments of each of the three honorees and then listened to the honorees’ acceptance speeches, which included reflections of their naval service.

            Former Marine Corps Commandant Paul X. Kelly; Sen. John McCain’s mother, Roberta McCain; Senators and Congressmen; Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Charles Bowen; Coast Guard Vice Adm. Robert Pappas, Coast Guard Rear Adm. Sally Brice-O’Hara and former NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe were among the other famous people who joined Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Rick West and Vice Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Jonathan Greenert.

 

 

            The Cadets met such a dizzying number of Admirals, Generals, Captains and pillars of government and industry during the evening that it seemed a near record had been broken. “With so many decorated seamen, high-ranking Marines, and Congressmen, the only misters and misses in attendance seemed to be with the media,” Stein wrote. Still, words Berra once said, were recalled by the Sea Cadet unit’s commanding officer – “I always thought that record would stand until it was broken.”

 

 

Cadets make flawless history

 

.           On Oct. 3, 2009, with just five hours practice, two of the unit’s three Color Set squads (each squad is a team of five specially-trained Cadets) made history by competing against 13 Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) and one Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (MCJROTC) teams, who meet and practice regularly. The other teams came from schools throughout the Washington DC region, including Virginia and Maryland.

            It was the first time a Sea Cadet unit ever entered the competition. Three Virginia-based and four Maryland-based Sea Cadet units were also invited to enter the competition but were unable to do so.

            Held at the Washington Navy Yard, the competition was judged by members of the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard, the winners of the Armed Forces Ceremonial Guard competition, two years in a row.

            Uniform upkeep and presentation, equipment, military bearing and the actual performance were all judged. All competing teams utilized the same NJROTC Color Guard Drill Card (performance sequence).

            The unit’s remaining cadets and adult volunteers assisted NSAW with the setup and tear down of the event seating, judging and ceremonial areas before and after the event. During the event, they watched the various performances and a special performance by the Navy’s Silent Drill Team.

            The two Sea Cadet teams joined the John F. Kennedy High School NJROTC team (Silver Spring, Md.) and the Osbourn Park High School (Manassas, Va.) NJROTC team as the only teams with flawless performances during the competition, outperforming the MCJROTC team and the remaining 11 NJROTC teams.

            A member of the Kennedy HS team, called Sea Cadet Ben Thompson, who helped train and prepare both Sea Cadet teams and the Kennedy team, “awesome.” “He did a great job getting us ready.”

            The Sea Cadet teams won high praises from Navy officials and astonished NJROTC teams. “We are all very proud of our Cadets and their great accomplishment,” Sea Cadet Ens. Maria Gonzalez stated.  

            As the days grow shorter and the nights become colder, the members of the Henry E. Mooberry Division look forward to even more fun, because they know that being a Sea Cadet member is an adventure!

            While others may accept the words of baseball great, Yogi Berra, “You can observe a lot just by watching,” the members of the Washington Navy Yard’s Sea Cadets prefer to keep on doing!