By U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps, Henry E. Mooberry Division Public Affairs

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 10. 2010) – From Arlington National Ceremony to downtown Washington, D.C.; and on Bolling Air Force Base to on the Potomac River, 30 members of the U.S Naval Sea Cadet Corps (USNSCC) Henry E. Mooberry Division spread out and performed four simultaneous missions, once again proving the Washington Navy Yard-based unit’s ability to support multiple missions.

Under the tactical leadership of the unit’s Operations Officer, Coast Guard Lt. Daniel Bell and Assistant Operations Officer, Ens. Joshua Maye, the Sea Cadet unit deployed three Task Forces and one Strike Force to accomplish missions assigned during its Drill day.

Strike Force Farzam, led by Cadet Leila Farzam, the unit’s honor guard leading petty officer, provided a color guard, bell ringer, two side boys and a Navy Ceremonial Guard bosun’ in support of the Navy’s Bureau of Medicine and Surgery for an officer’s retirement ceremony in downtown D.C.

One color set of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps Henry E. Mooberry Division, prepares to present the colors at the Washington Navy Yard. U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps Henry E. Mooberry Division photo by Inst. Peter Gaydos (Released)

Task Force Anacostia, led by Cadet Sabrina Brady, supported a joint Navy and Air Force shoreline cleanup along the Anacostia River at Bolling Air Force Base and Naval Support Facility Anacostia.

Task Force Memorial, led by Cadet Kenny Buzard, was slated to support a Navy and Coast Guard ceremony at the Navy Memorial, but was diverted to a mission at Arlington National Cemetery after having lunch at Joint Base Fort Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Va.

Task Force Potomac, lead by Cadet Kyle Herbert, the unit’s lead chief petty officer, performed an underway training mission, maintenance checkride, and annual boating season shakedown cruise during the movement of the unit’s training vessel from Washington, D.C. to Occoquan, Va.

Among the very best

The unit, which instills in youth, ages 10 to 21, the principles of leadership, self-confidence, self-reliance, discipline and good American values, specializes in ceremonial operations, public and community affairs, special operations and surface (boat) operations, is often called upon by the Navy, Coast Guard, civic, veteran’s and other organizations to help support its operations.

Cadets from the unit have routinely performed honor guard duties for the Secretary of the Navy, Chief of Naval Operations, Commandant of the Coast Guard, Commandant of the Marine Corps, Senators and Congressmen.

The unit’s 20-person honor guard is recognized as the best NSCC honor guard in the National Capital Region, having beat Marine Corps Junior Reserve Training Officer (JROTC) and all but two of the Navy JROTC unit color guards in the Md., D.C. and Va. area, during an annual competition.

U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps Henry E. Mooberry Division Executive Officer, Navy Cmdr. Vince Costantini, front, and Leading Petty Officer Kyle Herbert, stand in front of part of the unit’s morning muster formation.  U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps  Henry E. Mooberry Division photo by Inst. Peter Gaydos (Released)

Cadets assisting the annual joint service shoreline cleanup helped support the Navy’s environmental and community service goals.

Ens, Janice Lavoie, the unit’s medical and personnel officer, said, “The Anacostia River has long been recognized as in need of cleanup. D.C. enacted a bag tax this year to generate funds to help clean the river. Our support to the Navy’s effort today is one more helping hand we can give to clean the river and make the quality of life for Anacostia area residents a little better.”

While at Arlington National Cemetery, the unit’s task force visited the gravesite of Lt. Cmdr. Henry E. Mooberry, the unit’s former commanding officer and a Sea Cadet adult volunteer for three decades.

At the site, Maye, who began with the unit as a cadet when he was a pre-teen, told current cadets of his fond remembrances of his days as a Sea Cadet and of Lt. Cmdr. Mooberry, for whom the unit was re-named by an act of Congress in December, 2005.

Mooberry mentored Maye as a cadet and current commanding officer, Lt. Cmdr. Joseph P. Cirone as a junior officer in the 1980s.

Before heading to the unit’s boat and out onto the Potomac River, for the first time this boating season, Cirone provided Task Force Potomac’s cadets and adults, with boating basics and safety rules. “The pointy end is the bow,” he kidded.

Cadet Amanda Haverkamp performs forward lookout duties on the unit’s boat as it glides along the Potomac River at high speed. U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps Henry E. Mooberry Division photo by Inst. Georgia Gaydos (Released)

Once at the Washington, D.C. marina and after getting the boat ready to get underway, the task force took in the sights of the Potomac River’s shorelines, lined with Cherry Blossom trees in full bloom and crowds visiting the area and the Cherry Blossom parade, before beginning its training mission and cruising at 32 knots-per-hour toward the boat’s new homeport in Occoquan, Va.

With Herbert at the helm, operating the boat in Belmont Bay at full speed, a surprise man overboard drill occurred. Cadet Stephanie Ayala shouted, “man overboard port side,” as her brother, Francisco, threw a ring buoy over the side to allow the simulated man overboard to hold himself afloat. Meanwhile, Cadet Amanda Haverkamp readied a boat hook and prepared to hoist the rescued victim aboard, as the adult volunteers observed the cadet’s actions and teamwork.

“Today was awesome,” exclaimed Cadet Stephanie Ayala, a member of Task Force Potomac.

Cadets Kyle Herbert, Francisco Ayala and Amanda Haverkamp, left to right, watch the wake and enjoy the high speed ride on the unit’s boat as Cadet Stephanie Ayala operates the boat at 32-knots-per-hour on the Occoquan Bay. U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps Henry E. Mooberry Division photo by Inst. Georgia Gaydos (Released)

In summarizing the day’s events and the unit’s success, Bell said each of the evolutions was executed and completed near-perfectly. “I’d give them a 4.0 [out of a possible score of 4.0],” he said.

Cadet Sara Malos, a member of Strike Force Farzam, reported, “I really enjoyed doing the Honor Guard thing. The people were very nice and I learned a few new ‘tricks.’ I was very nice when they gave us challenge coins.”

The Henry E. Mooberry Division of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps is one of the oldest, largest, most capable and most respected Sea Cadet units in the country.

Based at the historic Washington Navy Yard, one of four naval installations that make up the Naval Support Activity Washington, the unit’s focus includes public affairs and community service; ceremonial, surface (boat and ship) and special operations.

By participating in the program, there is no obligation to join the military. The unit welcomes all interested personnel to seek more information at www.seacadetsdc.org.