Natibu Division of US Naval Sea Cadets holds first drill

The U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps has announced that the Natibu Division of the CNMI held its first weekend drill on Saipan last Saturday, May 21, 2022. USNSCC is open to all youth years 11 to 18 holding U.S. citizenship or green card. The middle school youth join the Naval League Cadet Core and high school youth join the Naval Sea Cadet Core.

Families and youth who are interested in joining the Sea Cadets should place an inquiry online at the Sea Cadet website https://www.seacadets.org/join and follow the link “Become a Cadet.” There are very limited slots left, and applicants may be placed on a wait list.

This past Saturday, the newly formed Natibu Division of 25 cadet recruits were led by commanding officer Ray Alvarez and executive officer Regino Celis Jr. for their first monthly drill at the Northern Marianas Technical Institute in Lower Base. Cadets were issued Natibu Division shirts as part of an alternative uniform. The morning drill portion included basic military training following the traditions of the U.S. Navy, close order drills, and maritime nomenclature.

In the afternoon, cadets learned basic marlinspike seamanship. Each cadet was issued a length of line for knot-tying practice. Classroom training was followed by dockside training at the Smiling Cove Marina to learn about the parts of a boat, tying a cleat hitch, and more nautical language.

Saipan Sailing School also hosted a sailing excursion for a select few cadets. Cadets learned how to rig a sailboat and went sailing for a few hours in the lagoon.

Activities planned for the summer include recruit training, a weeklong traditional maritime heritage hosted by the Chamolinian Cultural Village Inc.’s master navigators, an America Sailing Association certification through Saipan Sailing School, and many other challenging programs.

The Navy Sea Cadet Corps is a federally chartered non-profit civilian youth training organization sponsored by the Navy League and supported by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard. It is described as a regimented youth program similar to JROTC but with a focus on seagoing services.

The program builds leaders of character. Goals are to develop interested in seamanship and seagoing skills, instill principles of good citizenship and strong moral character, demonstrate the value of a substance-free lifestyle and expose cadets to the prestige of a military or merchant marine career.

To inquire or support the program, contact Ray Alvarez at (670) 989-7266 or Reno Celis at (670) 483-5674. For more info about Saipan Sailing School, contact Capt. Dave Johansen at (670) 483-7901. (PR)