July 20, 2006

Navy Sea Cadets get close look at future careers

 

by Karen Fleming-Michael
Standard Staff Write

Two 15 year olds got glimpses of their future careers during a week-long visit to Fort Detrick July 10-14.

As members of the post's Naval Sea Cadet Corps, Seamen Keely Checote from Waynesboro, Pa., and Ashley Wakefield from Shenandoah Junction, W. Va., got a chance to visit with military members on post who have the jobs they want one day.

Sgt. Timothy Mika's guided tour of the Barquist Army Healthcare Clinic reinforced Checote's desire to be a doctor "and let the Navy pay for it," she said. Time spent with Sgt. Jess Thomas at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases further convinced Wakefield that being a microbiologist is what her future holds.

Both teens committed two weeks of their summer breaks to fulfill their obligations to the sea cadet corps, but it was more fun than obligation.

"I don't know who's having a better time, the cadets or the instructors," said retired Navy Chief Jorge Trevino, who serves as the commanding officer for the Matthew Fontaine Maury "Pathfinders" Division at Detrick. "The cadets we have sought out this program, so we know they're motivated. Then we marry their interests with active-duty military members who have those jobs and it's fun, fun, fun."

Typical sea cadets range in age from 11 to 18 years old. After completing a two-week boot camp, they commit annually to train one weekend a month and two weeks each summer as members of the corps.

Since 1958, the Naval Sea Cadet Corps has provided youth "with a drug- and alcohol-free environment to foster their leadership abilities, broaden their horizons through hands-on training and guide them to becoming mature young adults," according to the Naval Sea Cadet Corps Web site.

What sets the sea cadet corps apart from junior Reserve Officer Training Corps and ROTC is the amount of hands-on experience they get alongside active-duty military, Trevino said.

"It's like ROTC on steroids," said Trevino, who also works in USAMRIID's biosurety program. For example, summer training can find cadets in homeland security or explosive ordnance detection training, or undergoing the rigors of SEALs preparation. As part of his training, Checote's 16-year-old brother ended up diving with Jacques Cousteau's son.

The Pathfinders division currently has 26 members, and Trevino said three more are on deck.

As part of Checote's and Wakefield's week, they learned about biosafety, biosurety and veterinary medicine. They then put their new-found knowledge to use during "Take Your Child to Work Day" activities July 12, demonstrating personal protective equipment used in the laboratories at USAMRIID for the children.

Trevino said two cadets were the first to participate in this "pilot program" at Detrick. New regulations may limit what he's able to provide for sea cadets in the future, but he said he'll do what he can to help his cadets create "a road map for their futures."