JAX Sea trials cancelled

FastFood44

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Units across the country got word that due to budget cuts, all JAX sea trials are cancelled. These MIDN will not be assigned to Newport sea trials, but will just go on regular 2/c cruise as planned that was going to be with their original sea trial dates.
 
My son just called this morning to tell us this. What do the MIDN do who miss sea trials? Is there a "try again next year" attitude? He is supposed to do a summer cruise as well, I think, but the dates for that are still unconfirmed, and so now he (and we) are quite concerned that he just will miss anything for his sophomore-junior summer. (sorry about not knowing all the proper terms...picking up the Navy jargon from 400 miles away and a son who isn't very communicative is tough!)
 
My son just called this morning to tell us this. What do the MIDN do who miss sea trials? Is there a "try again next year" attitude? He is supposed to do a summer cruise as well, I think, but the dates for that are still unconfirmed, and so now he (and we) are quite concerned that he just will miss anything for his sophomore-junior summer. (sorry about not knowing all the proper terms...picking up the Navy jargon from 400 miles away and a son who isn't very communicative is tough!)
It's probably too soon to know anything for certain, but I suspect those affected will just skip Sea Trials, rather than try to make it up next year. If the Navy tried to do a make-up, they would have to plan for all the incoming 2/c, plus all the incoming 1/c who missed it this year. My DS is in the same boat (or lack of a boat as it were) with missing Sea Trials. I'm guessing they will just do their 1/c cruise next summer. Sea Trials was new last year, so the Navy has been commissioning Ensigns without it for years.
 
Echoing the above comment. Next year Sea Trials will be filled with the new class, with I would assume, no space for the people who missed it this year. Sea Trials was just additional training, never really fully needed for commissioning (IE: they haven’t had it ever before last year, and there have been wonderful officers from the Navy regardless as said above).
 
I’m wondering whether this has anything to do with the escalating need for navy ships to be positioned elsewhere in the near future.
 
I’m wondering whether this has anything to do with the escalating need for navy ships to be positioned elsewhere in the near future.
Not likely. The issue of Sea Trials came up some time ago. From what I understand its a budget issue. The Navy doesn't have the money to put everyone through Sea Trials. It is my understanding that there's no rhyme nor reason to who attends what this year. I know several who had their JAX Sea Trials cancelled and who were not signed up for the 2/C Cruise, so they have nothing this summer. My DS on the other hand has both Sea Trials and Cruise this summer. This is my 6th year with my sons attending summer training, first time such confusion.
 
I never did Sea Trials, not even really sure what it's supposed to be. I do know Marines don't go to Mountain Warfare anymore because the Navy moved that money over to Sea Trials. So curious they don't have funding.
 
DS was supposed to go to JAX for sea trials but never got orders and is not slated to go on another 2/C cruise at this time.
 
All iterations of Sea Trials after the 2nd iteration at Newport are cancelled. Just found out today.
 
All iterations of Sea Trials after the 2nd iteration at Newport are cancelled. Just found out today.

What school do you go to if you don’t mind my asking? My unit hasn’t informed us of anything yet.
 
DS is a College Programmer at Tulane. When he investigated NROTC as a non-scholarship Midn, the Cadre at Tulane told him to "enjoy his summer" and Indoc was only required of National Scholarship Awardees, and "Sea Trials" or basic shipboard training (DC, Seamanship, Navigation, firefighting, swimming, and "Officership") between sophomore year and junior year is not required, nor would the Cadre be able to pay for him to go. That only upon attaining "Advanced Standing" or a "2 Yr Scholarship", could he move on and Commission upon graduation. It seems the only real requirement is the final year afloat cruise with the "possible" option to attend the ten day 1st Class Sea Trials for the summer entering his senior year. I am guessing that more and more of the training required is being given at the "school or cadre" level.
 
DS is a College Programmer at Tulane. When he investigated NROTC as a non-scholarship Midn, the Cadre at Tulane told him to "enjoy his summer" and Indoc was only required of National Scholarship Awardees, and "Sea Trials" or basic shipboard training (DC, Seamanship, Navigation, firefighting, swimming, and "Officership") between sophomore year and junior year is not required, nor would the Cadre be able to pay for him to go. That only upon attaining "Advanced Standing" or a "2 Yr Scholarship", could he move on and Commission upon graduation. It seems the only real requirement is the final year afloat cruise with the "possible" option to attend the ten day 1st Class Sea Trials for the summer entering his senior year. I am guessing that more and more of the training required is being given at the "school or cadre" level.
Sea Trials is a new program. It was first held last year on a trial basis for some mids on scholarship. There was talk of making it mandatory (think still just for mids on scholarship), but that hasn't happened. The only truly mandatory summer training is the 1/c cruise between junior and senior year. I'm not sure about Indoc, but I thought I read that the Navy would send college programmers who want to go, but not mandatory and that it is mandatory for mids on scholarship.
 
@ProudDad17, that is exactly what we got out of DS's Cadre, and researching the NROTC Program. Seems kind of insufficient to me, take a young person on a three week cruise then send them off as an Ensign to be qualified underway OOD and navigate a DDG at night in congested conditions. Maybe that why the Navy has had as many "shipwrecks" as it has recently. Back when, it took a novel of a qualifications book you had to complete just to command a small boat in the CG, plus passing your 100 ton license. I know the academy's are good at summer training and prepping youngsters to lead, but I am not so sure about ROTC Programs...and they give the same "Regular" Commission as the Academies. Actually scary to think about it. Maybe I am just "old school" or maybe just "old" lol.

I wonder how many of todays ROTC JO's afloat can even take a "noon sight" or "radar plot targets with a grease pencil using relative motion"? Is H.O. 229 even carried on US ships anymore? How about taking a horizontal sight fix? Old skills not used....too much reliance on electronics.
 
NROTC has been turning out officers since 1926. I have to believe if those officers were inadequate and officers trained at the academy were shown to be vastly superior, the NROTC training would have been modified to correct these deficiencies long ago. There is a lot of training that occurs in the unit and additional training once the Ensign is commissioned before they are qualified to act as OOD. I can't speak to exactly what that training consists of and equipment used. The information I have consistently seen on here is that academy grads may come out a bit more prepared in military skills, but 6 months to a year later there is not difference.

I will agree in life in general there is an over reliance on electronic devices that can fail or become disabled and a lost appreciation for analog devices and old skills that stand the test of time.
 
There is a lot of training that occurs in the unit and additional training once the Ensign is commissioned before they are qualified to act as OOD.

I am just a civilian, with no direct knowledge of this subject. However, after the recent collisions at sea, I read some articles that the Navy was re-adjusting its training and making it even tougher to earn the "water wings." I don't know, but I would assume the OOD Underway must have his or her water wings, which requires extensive on-the-job training and testing to earn. I am also guessing that the skills required to be OOD Underway are not necessarily the type that can learned completely in the classroom at either USNA or in ROTC, or certainly in a week at Sea Trials. Also, from what I read the Sea Trials were something more akin to some the things that recruits at NTC Great Lakes learn in fire control, etc. and the Navy did without Sea Trials for a long time, as noted above.
 
I'm speaking to my experience only...DS1 ...going into freshman year - No indoc...only orientation week before school started...before sophomore year...Cortramid nice exposure to all communities...before junior year two week submarine cruise..basically exposure some responsibilities but not enough to prepare you for Subs...before senior year aviation cruise...most of planes were gone so minimal exposure...not enough to prepare for aviation...
Now I have DS2. Cortramid last year. This year Sea Trials canceled and yes sea Trials were new last year...still looking at 2C cruise if all goes as planned
So my point, these summer cruises are more about exposure than anything else and I think they help the Mid determine what community they are learning towards, you are certainly not going to attain a whole bunch of knowledge. That will come after you commission. My DS1 commissioned May 2017 and he just started Advanced so it will be roughly 2 years before he gets his wings. His roommates are USNA grads and they are at same level as he is, no advantage one way or the other. Basically there is going to be on the job training once commissioned
 
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