Cadet Training

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Whether you decide to join the military or not, skills you learn and traits you develop in the Sea Cadets will serve you for the rest of your life.  Some of the most important skills you will learn here are leadership, teamwork, self-motivation, and discipline.  You will learn through experience, not just from a book.  Not only that, but the Sea Cadets will improve your physical fitness as well.  No matter what shape you join in, we will work with you to get into peak physical condition, and help motivate you on your way to get there. 

The primary reason many people join AMERICA Division is because they are interested in a future in the military.  The Sea Cadets, especially AMERICA Division, is a great place to start.  Here, we provide some of the most in depth and varied training.  Whether you want to join the Navy or any of the uniformed services, become an officer or enlist, the training you will get in the Sea Cadets will be invaluable.  You get a great idea of what the enlisted side of the military is like, with no obligations.  If you do decide to enlist though, you can join at an advanced pay grade in the Navy, Coast Guard, Marine Corps or Army, which can calculate into thousands of dollars.  Your experience can also help you earn an appointment to a Service Academy or an ROTC scholarship. There are also many Sea Cadet Scholarships available to those seniors who complete the program through graduation.

  The Sea Cadet Program is just plain fun.  At AMERICA Division, we work hard and we play hard.  Every year we try different things like marksmanship training, ropes challenge courses, ship visits, and other out of town trips.  We also enjoy annual social events like the Family Christmas Party and Awards Ball. In AMERICA Division you can make friends with really awesome people, and create bonds that will last a lifetime.

The training opportunities for the Sea Cadets are spectacular.  After attending a two week recruit training (a.k.a. boot camp), cadets have myriad options for advanced trainings offered all across the country. Just a small sampling - at Seabee training you can learn construction and combat skills, at Explosive Ordnance Disposal you learn how to handle explosives and weapons, at SEAL training you can go through a Mini BUD/S with real Navy SEALs, at Aviation school you can earn a pilot's license, and at Photojournalism training you work alongside active duty sailors in creating the newspaper and reporting on newsworthy events around the area.  These are only a few of the trainings you can do as a Sea Cadet; beyond those, there are frequent opportunities to work on Navy and Coast Guard ships or go to foreign countries. 

AMERICA Division's motto "Non Ducor Duco" means "Not being led, but leading".  Our leadership program was developed to help cadets learn about themselves and where their strengths lie. You learn by doing, given opportunities based on your readiness for more responsibility.  From learning to be responsible for yourself and your actions, to mentoring a new recruit and providing guidance; from being responsible for teaching cadets how to march, to planning drill weekend activities, there is something for everyone at all stages of development.
 

The skills taught are practical in any setting and situation, not just a military environment.  It's not about being in charge or ordering others around; it's about taking care of people while accomplishing the mission.