United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps

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emblem of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps

The United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps (USNSCC) was founded in 1958 by the Navy League of the United States at the request of the Department of the Navy. In 1962, the USNSCC was federally chartered by Congress under Public Law 87-655 as a non-profit youth organization with an emphasis towards the sea-going services of the United States. Public Law 87-655 was amended in 1974 to allow female participation in the USNSCC. The Naval Sea Cadet Corps is officially supported by the Navy League of the United States, and is endorsed by the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard. The United States Coast Guard, through COMDTINST 5728.2C, USCG Public Affairs Manual, has designated the USNSCC as the Coast Guard's primary youth group. Most of the USNSCC's funding has come from the enrollment fees of its cadets and officers, the Navy League of the United States, private sources, and through appropriations from the DOD Military Budget. In recent years, the USNSCC has lobbied for, and obtained, through congressional support, between $1 - 2 million a year to offset the rising costs of supporting and running NSCC trainings.

U.S. Naval Sea Cadets are of the ages from 13 to 18 years old. They must be physically fit, have no criminal record, and have a good academic standard to become members. A younger version of the NSCC, the Navy League Cadet Corps (NLCC), exists for youths between the ages of 11 and 13.

The NSCC serves to teach cadets about the sea-going services, community service, citizenship, and an understanding of discipline and teamwork. While under no obligation, a sizeable percentage of cadets go on into the military. Members may receive an advanced paygrade of E-3 (Seaman) if they join the Navy or Coast Guard, and E-2 in any other service. This means a pay jump on other entry-level members and moves former Sea Cadets through the ranks at an increased pace. Former Sea Cadets also represent a percentage of students at the five major Service Academies (West Point, Annapolis, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine), and maintain the highest graduation rate of any high school program, such as the Boy Scouts and JROTC. The United States Navy and Coast Guard both support the NSCC to some degree, providing such resources as uniform assistance, use of military facilities, assisting with training courses, but most support comes from the volunteers and parents of the NSCC program.

The Navy allows the NSCC and NLCC to wear the Navy uniform, only modified with a distinguishing shoulder insignia. U.S. Navy Uniform Regulations are adhered to by the both the NSCC and NLCC. Officer rank insignias are the same as the Navy. Sea Cadet rank insignia are significantly different in design; the colors are changed to yellow, are in the form of chevrons (V-shaped), and are worn on the right sleeve.

1 NSCC Organizational Structure
2 USNSCC Personnel
3 Advanced Training
4 Ranks & Advancement
5 Famous Sea Cadets
6 See also
7 External references

[edit] NSCC Organizational Structure

The National Headquarters of the NSCC is located in Arlington, Virginia. Captain Michael Ford, USN (ret.) is the Executive Director, the "Commander-in-Chief" of the NSCC. There are six field areas in all. Each field is headed by a NSCC NHQ Representative, who is usually the grade of a Navy Captain. Each field area may be divided into a region. These regions are headed by a Senior Regional Director, who is a NSCC Lieutenant Commander (LCDR). Each region can have sub-regions, depending on the size of the area and number of units in that region. Each sub-region is headed by a Regional Direction (RD), who is also a NSCC LCDR. Each RD will report to the Senior RD for any matters regarding the region and/or sub-regions themselves. RDs are also responsible to the NSCC NHQ Representative for matters regarding Petty Officer Exams, PO1 and CPO advancements, NSCC officer matters, and anything else that would be of importance to the NHQ Representative or to the Executive Director. Each sub-region may be composed of anywhere between two to ten units. For example, the Pacific Southwest Field Area is composed of Region 11 (covering Southern California and the Las Vegas area) and Region 12 (covering Northern California and the Neveda areas north of Las Vegas). Region 11 itself is divide into 8 sub-regions, each headed by one Regional Director and Regional staff.

Each unit is required to have a complement of at least twenty-five cadets. Each unit has a Commanding Officer and Executive Officer, and depending of the number of adult volunteers, may have other billets which cover different areas important to the operation of that unit. Some units have far more and far less than the required minimum due to a vast array of recruiting issues. All units must have the minimum number of personnel in order to be commissioned into the NSCC.

[edit] USNSCC Personnel

Each of the NSCC and NLCC's 200 units perform drills all around the United States during the school year. Some units have a weeknight drill of 2 - 3 hours, while others drill once a month for an entire weekend. Each unit's drill schedule is set by the unit Commanding Officer and depends on the location of the unit and availability of both adult staff and cadets. During the school year, nearby units often come together to participate in weekend trainings, including Field Training Exercises, Small Arms Training, Shipboard Training, and Regional Flagship Competitions.

Adult Leaders are volunteers with a multitude of experience ranging from active/reserve/retired military personnel to civilian parents of cadets. Adult volunteers must be 18 years and older. High School graduates aged 18, up through adults aged 21 may serve as Midshipmen (MIDN). Midshipmen are technically NSCC officers, but are limited in function and work mainly with administrative duties and NSCC and NLCC training. NSCC MIDN are mostly former cadets, but can be ROTC, Service Academy, or other personnel with some type of experience relevant to the function of the NSCC and NLCC. Adults age 21 years and older can serve as NSCC Instructors, Officers, or Warrant Officers (Warrant Officer is only reserved to military personnel with specific qualifications). Cadets who are 18 years old can elect to remain a Sea Cadet up through high school graduation until 30 September in the year of their graduation.

[edit] Advanced Training

The hallmark of the Naval Sea Cadet Corps is its Advanced Training program. Each new Sea Cadet must attend NSCC Recruit Training. Recruit Training serves to introduce each "recruit" to the standards and routine involved in the life of a Sea Cadet. Military drill, customs and courtesies, physical fitness training, and other courses related to the sea-going services, are part of the demanding schedule of Recruit Training. After graduating from NSCC Recruit Training, Sea Cadets have the opportunity to attend Advanced Trainings in many different locations and in many different fields, depending on their personal interests. These training opportunities usually occur during the summer and winter breaks, but also can occur anytime year-round. Cadets must attend at least one Advanced Training each year in order to advance in rank. Advanced Trainings are held primarily at Navy and Coast Guard installations and range anywhere from five days to three weeks in length. These advanced trainings are coordinated and staffed by NSCC Officers and Instructors, and can have outside instructors from all branches of the Armed Forces, who are mainly made up of Active and Reserve Navy, Marine, and Coast Guard personnel. These training specialties range from shipboard training with the Navy and Coast Guard, Navy Airman School, Military Law Academy, MAA Law Enforcement Academy, Petty Officer Leadership Academy, Construction School (Navy SEABEE), Sailing School, Submarine Seminar, USN Seamanship Academy, Firefighting and Damage Control School, USN/USCG Port Operations, Honor Guard School, Medical School, Music School, Special Operations, SEAL Training, EOD Training, and Field Training. The USNSCC also sponsors an International Exchange Program with other Sea Cadet programs around the world: exchange countries include the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Holland, Korea, Japan, Scotland, Sweden, Hong Kong, Russia, and Bermuda.

[edit] Ranks & Advancement

Sea Cadet ranks follow the same path as of the United States Navy and United States Coast Guard, from E-1 (Seaman Recruit) through E-7 (Chief Petty Officer). All cadets have to the take the Navy correspondence courses and pass Navy examinations to gain rank. They must have a minimum time served in each rank before moving to the next higher rank. All new Sea Cadet enter the NSCC as an E-1; detailed requirements for advancement are outlined below.

Rank	Correspondence Course	Training	Time In Rate	Exam	Approval Authority
E-1 Seaman Recruit	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
E-2 Seaman Apprentice	Basic Military Requirements NAVEDTRA-14325	NSCC Recruit Training (9-day or 2 week course)	3 Months in NSCC	N/A	Commanding Officer
E-3 Seaman	Seaman NAVEDTRA-14067	One Advanced Training	6 Months as E-2	N/A	Commanding Officer
E-4 Petty Officer 3rd Class	Petty Officer 3rd & 2nd Class NAVEDTRA-14504	One Advanced Training	6 Months as E-3	PO3 Exam	Commanding Officer
E-5 Petty Officer 2nd Class	Petty Officer 3rd & 2nd Class NAVEDTRA-14504	One Advanced Training	6 Months as E-4	PO2 Exam	Commanding Officer
E-6 Petty Officer 1st Class	Petty Officer 1st Class NAVEDTRA-14145	One Advanced Training	6 Months as E-5	PO1 Exam	NSCC Executive Director
E-7 Chief Petty Officer	Chief Petty Officer NAVEDTRA-14144	Petty Officer Leadership Academy	6 Months as E-6	N/A	NSCC Executive Director

NSCC Officers, Instructors, and Midshipmen, have a thorough application process, including a background check, before they can be accepted as adult volunteers. NSCC Officers ranks range from O-1 (Ensign) to O-4 (Lieutenant Commander). Officers must attend Professional Development courses, attend NSCC/NLCC trainings as staff officers, and have a time in service and time in rank requirement, all must be completed to be promoted to the next higher rank.

[edit] Famous Sea Cadets

- Bradley Hansen - Fought in many wars and was a hero in all of his battles - John Salazar - He sometimes wasn't very enthusiastic, yet he died for his country.

[edit] See also

[edit] External references

Naval Cadet organisations
International	International Sea Cadet Association
Australia	Australian Navy Cadets
Belgium	Royal Belgian Sea Cadet Corps
Bermuda	Bermuda Sea Cadet Corps
Canada	Canadian Navy League Cadet Corps
Canada	Navy League Wrennette Corp
Canada	Royal Canadian Sea Cadets
Canada	List of Sea Cadet Corps in Canada
Hong Kong	Hong Kong Sea Cadet Corps
New Zealand	New Zealand Sea Cadet Corps
New Zealand	Sea Cadet Association of New Zealand
United Kingdom	Sea Cadet Corps
United Kingdom	The Marine Society & Sea Cadets
United States	United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps