More than 100 United States Naval Sea Cadets graduated from basic and advance skills training during ceremonies held at the
Fort Lewis Army post this weekend.
Families from United States and Canada were on hand to congratulate their sons and daughters in completing their Sea Cadet
and Navy League Cadet summer training programs.
Cadets learned skills ranging from basic seamanship, to advance participation in field medical training with active and reserve
components from the Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard, and with staff made up from volunteers and
senior Sea Cadets.
“What this means for the kids is that they experience discipline, hard work, and team building,” said Rear Adm. James Symonds,
commander Navy Region Northwest, and keynote graduation speaker, “Whether it’s with the military or not, these are life skills.”
Depending on their ages and experience, cadets attended a three-week field medical training program, a two-week Sea Cadet
basic training experience, or a one-week Navy League Cadet Corps (NLCC) orientation.
NLCC is for boys and girls, at least 11 but not yet 14 years old interested in the sea and ships, and is an introduction to the Naval
Sea Cadet program.
Those new to the Cadets in the 13 to 17-year old age bracket, signed up for a two-week Sea Cadets “boot camp” designed to teach
recruits basic seamanship, Navy history and tradition, marching, and other skill sets taught to U.S. Navy Sailors.
“I think there’s great hands-on field experience,” said Cadet Joseph Cahill a recent graduate, “There’s a lot of discipline and self
confidence—it’s worth the early mornings.”
Bob Edwards, a cadet parent, noticed the commitment his daughter had going into training, “She was very nervous the day she
arrived, but her biggest concern wasn’t the training, it was making sure her seabag was correct.”
Field medical training, modeled after Marine Corps Field Medical Service School curriculum, provided 40 senior cadets with combat
skills taught by Sailors and Marines, along with medical training instruction at Madigan Army Medical Center supervised by Army
and Air Force medical staff.
“These cadets are far and above what I expected them to be,” said Marine Corps Reserve First Sergeant Howard Engledow, “They’re
showing determination every time they turn the corner.”
Engledow and his Marines trained cadets in combat field tactics and in understanding Marine Corps doctrine, “The kids progressed
faster than what we thought, and they loved it” he said.
Pacific Northwest Naval Sea Cadet Corps commander, Capt. Stan Mack emphasized that Cadets receive safe and quality training,
“We provide a drug free and gang free environment for the kids, however we are not a recruiting agency.”
Mack said that some Cadets opt not to follow a military career and use their training in their civilian life skills, while those who do
join the Navy have an advantage over other recruits. “If they enlist, they may go in as an E-3 or join ROTC,” said Mack, emphasizing
that roughly 12 percent of Naval Academy cadets were once Sea Cadets.
During the ceremony, cadets from the three different classes paraded in precise military marching order. Parents and visitors snapped
megabits of photos of their sons and daughters as they passed in review.
Maria Merino, mother of Recruit Training Command Northwest Honor Cadet, Seaman Recruit Barbara Mesias, snapped shot after shot
of her daughter, “I am very proud of her” said Merino, “She wants to go to Annapolis—I’m not surprised she has gotten this far, Barbara
is a very hard worker.”
“This is one of the best trainings I’ve ever been to,” said Sea Cadet Petty Officer 1st Class Shannon Thompson, a platoon leader with the
Cadet Recruit Training Command, “this really prepares you for the Sea Cadets.”
This year’s graduating classes featured cadets from the Northwest region and from states as far east as Maryland and Florida, plus
international Cadets from the Canadian Sea Cadet program.
For more information on the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps and the U.S. Navy League Cadet Corps for the Pacific Northwest region,
log on to: http://www.usnsccregion13.org