I have been fortunate enough, in the year that I have been a cadet in the Naval Sea Cadet Corps, to attend five advanced trainings, as well as my Recruit Training (RT). I joined the Sea Cadets, pretty much having no clue what it was about. I had seen an article about it in the news paper and I knew that the military really interested me so I decided to go check it out. I never left. I attended my first drill May of 2009 and so began my Sea Cadet journey. In August I departed for RT, one of the most life changing experiences of my life.

I checked in knowing very little, and before I knew it I was in a leadership position, leading my company of about 10 cadets. I barely knew how to march myself, let alone march 10 other people by calling out commands and knowing where we were supposed to be and when. I went from being the anti social and silent girl, to a leader in charge. My company graduated 2 weeks later as Honor Company for the whole training. I loved every minute of it, and I couldn't wait for more!

That Winter, the day after Christmas, I headed to Tampa for my first Advanced Training (AT): Culinary Arts. We cooked four meals a day for 105 cadets and officers, so we were kept quite busy! Being a cook, or chef, is certainly not as easy as you'd think. I learned that it was certainly not what I wanted to spend my life doing. But yet I was glad I went for the experience.

My next AT was more fun, something I was truly interested in: Basic Airman. I went in April, my training stayed in tents at the Lakeland Airport where we participated in Sun N' Fun, an extremely exciting event! We got to work on the flightline and watch ultra-lights take off the runway. We learned so much about planes and flying, one day every cadet at my training got the opportunity to go up in one of the ultra-lights for a ride. When it was my turn I hopped in the plane behind the pilot, and he took off. It was simply amazing, I've never even really been up in a plane and the next thing I know the pilot turns to me and says, "Take control of the plane. She's all yours." That had to be one of the most amazing feelings in the world. I only got to be in control for a couple minutes but that was enough for me. I can honestly say that there is no experience like flying.  We met so many interesting people from all over the world. People flew from China, Australia, Japan, Russia, Britain, and many other places to see this happening. Just getting the chance to hear these peoples stories was worth going to the training!

My next AT was a Mini Field Exercise training. This was pretty much just a weekend event, but loads of fun. We participated in night operations, by standing watch and guarding the perimeters of our camp against intruders (who happened to be actual Navy Seabees). We worked out in the field and learned about Orienteering, Ham Radios, and the importance of working as team, something stressed beyond belief in the Sea Cadets and the Navy.

The next training I attended was POLA, Petty Officer Leadership Academy, which was basically teaching us how to become the next leaders for the Sea Cadets. We had classes throughout the whole day, probably 4-6 hours at least every single day, we learned public speaking, how to give counseling, and other things necessary to become better leaders.

My final AT of the year was Field Medical. I had so much fun at that training!  We stayed on the Naval Air Station up in Jacksonville for a week, and we also got to take a tour of the Mayport Naval Base. We spoke with the Navy SAR (Search And Rescue) personnel, they gave us a demonstration of what they do when called out. We got to take a look inside their helicopter, which I think was my favorite part. We took a tour of a ship that had just gotten back from a deployment. We spent a day at the beach working on physical teambuilding exercises. We worked on field maneuvers nearly every day, since we were training to be corpsmen. We had classes about how to treat bleeding, shock, wounds of all kinds, how to give an IV, fractures and broken bones, how to set a splint, tourniquets and more.

This is just a small look into all the different trainings that are available to every single cadet out there.  There's so many AT's that it's extremely difficult to narrow it down to just a few during the summer. I know I'll never be able to do every training I want to do, there's just too many! Some of the trainings I'm really looking forward to are Advanced Medical training, FAA ground school, Scuba Diving, and Search and Rescue. These trainings are made even more fun because of all the awesome people you get to meet. People from all over the country are coming together to train together. There's no way we'd be able to have all these experiences if it wasn't for the Naval Sea Cadet Corps. Hooyah Sea Cadets!

-SN Hannah Jo Dixon

I decided to become a Sea Cadet because I knew when I was 13-years-old that I wanted to join the military. I figured that Sea Cadets would be good place to see if the military was really what I wanted to do. I joined because it was sea oriented and promised adventure, a chance to grow, learn, and adapt to life as you would in the military. I now know that I want to attend a state college or university that has a Navy Reserve Officer Training Corp, preferably Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona, commission as an officer into the US Navy, and become a fighter pilot.

What I love about Sea Cadets is that you are treated with respect and as an adult from the start not as a child by the officers. While at Sea Cadets you are a young adult and will act as such. You are treated equally by everyone. Just because you are a female does not mean that you cannot do certain things; like shoot a 22-calliber rifle once you are NRA qualified, or that you have to be the one to do things every time; like cleaning the mess deck. It is 100% equally opportunity for both males and females

The benefit I received from Sea Cadets that I did not expect was my ability to lead, my leadership skills. I knew the military was about followership and leadership but I never expected that I would become the Leading Petty Officer, LPO, of the Manatee Division. I was thrust into a leadership position as soon as I joined it seemed. It was just a few months when I was made the Assistant Leading Petty Officer. I was made the LPO before the end of my second year. I never imagined that I would be able to march the Manatee Division’s Color Guard in Parades and other formal events. Another benefit I never expected from Sea Cadets that I received was to be able to work active US Navy aircraft for a week during the summers of 2008 and 2009. I had never imagined that I would spend a week of my high school summer on a US Naval Air Station working on C-40 Clippers with Reserve and Active US Naval Aviators in 2008. Let alone a second summer in 2009 working on P-3 Orion Engines in the Power Plants on US Naval Air Station again with Active duty US Naval Aviators. Sea Cadets has changed my life for the better and is one of the best choices I have ever made.