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

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 10. 2010) – While a ceremony was being held in the nation’s capital during the morning of April 10, 2010, to bless the seagoing fleets of boats and ships for the 2010 boating season, members of the Washington Navy Yard-based, U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps, Henry E. Mooberry Division, were part of the fleet. The training they were getting equals that given to Navy and Coast Guard personnel, according to unit officials.

With groups of cadets and adult volunteers deployed to four different simultaneous events (evolutions) in the National Capital Region, three in support of the Navy, one of the groups was on the District of Columbia’s waterfront completing de-winterization tasks and preparing to get the unit’s 24-foot boat underway, exposing the personnel to Coast Guard-like operations.

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

Cadet Amanda Haverkamp operates the unit’s boat on its way out of the Washington, D.C. waterfront near the Washington Monument, toward the Anacostia River and Fort McNair. U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps Henry E. Mooberry Division photo by Inst. Georgia Gaydos (Released)

With 24 years of service to the Coast Guard, as a volunteer serving in aircraft and boats, unit Commanding Officer, Lt. Cmdr. Joseph P. Cirone, led the group’s efforts in getting the boat ready for its first voyage of the year. “We are about a week ahead of our schedule, but with good weather this week and bad weather forecast for next week, we elected to take advantage of the opportunity, since it meshed well with this weekend’s logistical arrangements and the unit’s Drill (meeting) schedule,” he said.

The unit’s boat training program, first implemented in late 2007 when Cirone assumed command of the unit, has been revamped and promises to be, “The best ever,” according to Cirone.

Cadet Stephanie Ayala performs forward lookout duties, looking for the next buoy as the boat skims the surface of the Potomac River at over 30 knots-per-hour. U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps Henry E. Mooberry Division photo by Inst. Georgia Gaydos (Released)

“Along with the monthly training we do on the USS Barry (DD 933), a Navy destroyer [ship] based at the Navy Yard, the boat enables our unit to fulfill one of its primary missions – teaching cadets seagoing skills, leadership and confidence. Shipboard skills are taught on the Barry and practical seamanship, navigation, leadership and confidence skills are taught or reinforced on the boat,” he pointed out.

Before getting underway for the day’s training on the Potomac River – a four-hour long evolution – the four cadets and an accompanying adult volunteer (the unit’s administrative and logistics officer) were given a safety brief, mission brief and taught or refreshed on the basics of line handling when docking and undocking and the procedures to be followed during a man overboard situation.

Cadets Francisco Ayala, left, and Kyle Herbert, rear, enjoy the boat ride on the Occoquan River toward the boat’s homeport after the day of training on the Potomac River and Occoquan Bay. U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps Henry E. Mooberry Division photo by Inst. Georgia Gaydos (Released)

Once underway, cadets took turns at the helm, steering the vessel at low speeds and high, with Cirone controlling the engine’s throttle and providing navigational guidance, as the boat glided along the historic river from Washington to Dumfries, Va.

As the only cadet of the four aboard that has completed part of the unit’s comprehensive boat training program, including a Coast Guard approved basic boating course, the unit’s Leading Chief Petty Officer, Kyle Herbert, a cadet with the unit since 2004 and the unit’s most senior cadet, took the helm of the vessel on the Potomac River, near Fort Belvior, Va..

Herbert drove the boat totally without assistance to a point south, near Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., before a surprise man overboard drill occurred in the Occoquan Bay. Following the drill, Herbert took the boat at 32-knots-per-hour to the narrow Occoquan River channel before Cirone took over for the docking of the vessel at its 2010 homeport in Virginia.

Cadet Kyle Herbert, operates the boat at full throttle off of Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., just before a surprise man overboard drill broke the peaceful pace of the ride. U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps Henry E. Mooberry Division photo by Inst. Georgia Gaydos (Released)

“Today was awesome,” exclaimed Cadet Stephanie Ayala.

The unit’s boat training program consists of four levels of competence, each with a long list of items that are tested after being taught, to ensure the knowledge and skills were learned and retained, before a cadet or adult volunteer is considered competent for the particular level before moving to the next level. “Like the Navy and Coast Guard, we call the knowledge and skills check-off lists, Personal Qualification Standards or PQS,” Cirone stated.

The unit’s PQS includes boating, seamanship, navigation and water safety basics, and advanced boat operating skills. Cirone explained, “After completing our PQS, our personnel have the training equal to Navy and Coast Guard boat crews and operators. The knowledge and skills they have is so good it is recognized nationally by the Coast Guard, state maritime law enforcement agencies, and can even get them discounts on insurance policies if they ever get a boat of their own.”