Cadet is rescued
Those were the words used by Master Chief Lyn Dupree, (USCG ret.) to describe the last day of the Coast Guard’s Jr. ROTC Leadership Academy held June 12 – 16 at Base Elizabeth City.
70 Cadets, (high school students), from Delaware, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina had spent the week (from 0500-2200 hours , 5 am-10 pm for us civilians), developing leadership skills, practicing team building, learning Coast Guard history, and experiencing Coast Guard heritage.
Lifting the Crotch Pole
On Friday the 16th cadets split into two groups with the first arriving at Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station and Museum about 9 am. Quickly assembling in the 1874 Station the cadets assisted Larry Grubbs, (Board President and Keeper-in-Charge), and two members of Chicamacomico’s Beach Apparatus Drill Team in identifying, arraying, and setting up the equipment used during shipwreck rescues from the late 1800’s up to the middle 1950’s. Taking turns “running the ropes” they “rescued” each other as well as some of their instructors. Just before noon they broke down and replaced all the equipment on the Beach Cart so that the 2nd group (arriving about 1 pm) would have the same experience. At the end of the day Larry reported that all the cadets were “respectful and energetic” and “welcome back anytime”. Master Chief Lyn echoed that sentiment saying, “we all had a wonderful time and can’t wait to come back.”
Burying the Sand Anchor
Enrollment in the Leadership Academy is selective requiring cadet applicants to show commitment, academic achievement, fitness, as well as knowledge of Coast Guard procedures and protocols. The Maritime Service instructors are retired Coast Guard leaders, (officers and senior non commissioned chiefs).
Priming the Lyle Gun
The Coast Guard’s Jr. ROTC Program is adding 3 additional high schools this year which will bring the total of participating schools to 10. If you are interested in the USCG Jr ROTC Program information is available at https://www.uscg.mil/Community/jrrotc.
If you want to see the Shipwreck Rescue Drill, (Beach Apparatus Drill), come to Chicamacomico any summer Thursday at 2 pm. Further information at www.chicamacomico.org
JG 6/20/23
