Fair Winds & Following Seas
Our June drill was a busy one! Since we don’t drill in July and we are off-site in August, this was our last time at the NRC for a couple of months. So that meant:
a final Seabag check for cadets attending summer training - last chance to get missing gear! We introduced our new Supply Chit to help make supply requests easier for the cadets, and fulfillment and inventory management easier for the Supply Officer.
clean up of our classroom and office spaces - there were some treasures uncovered in the corners!
pack out of all the gear we will need for overnight field ops in August.
But don’t worry, it wasn’t all work! On Saturday, we headed out to U. S. Coast Guard Station Rochester to meet the Coasties on duty and tour the station. The Coasties were eager to show us around and answer questions about their station, command, and boats. There was even a former Sea Cadet on board - Trey Gagnon! It was fun to here stories about experiences he had in USNSCC America Division in Richmond, VA. Another Coastie was in Rochester for a four-week summer assignment from Coast Guard Academy. Our cadets were able to hear about how he chose the Coast Guard over other options, and what his first year of Coast Guard Academy was like. He recommends attending the summer AIM (Academy Introduction Mission) programs to help you decide if academy is right for you! (Did You Know? Sea Cadets can apply for partial reimbursement and AT credit for Coast Guard and Naval Academy AIM programs during the summer after junior year of high school. Visit the academy websites to learn how to apply in the early spring, and check Quarterdeck to see how to apply for reimbursement and credit.) His next assignment is to join the crew on the USCGC Barque Eagle training tall ship on the west coast for five weeks! That made some of our cadets a little bit jealous - and a lot motivated! (Did You Know? There are several spots held for Sea Cadets on the Eagle each summer! Watch your email in the spring for opportunities to apply!)
Back at the NRC, we practiced the proper way to accept an award, about-face, and other ceremony details. Why, you ask? Because Sunday was our Annual Awards & Graduation Ceremony! A big THANK YOU to the Chili American Legion Family Post 1830 for making your pavilion available to us. And CONGRATULATIONS to our graduate and award winners!
We were excited to welcome parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends to our event. The Commander surveyed the parents with the question: “What has Sea Cadets done for your child?” Here are some of the words they used in their answers:
