Aspiring aviator in 8th grade - Introduction

@OZZY - I must correct something: Sea Cadets is NOT enlisted oriented. In fact, you will be encouraged to apply to service academies. If you apply to and are accepted into any of the service academy's summer programs while in high school, the USNSCC will even pay the cost to attend.

Every unit is different with the costs; at my kid's unit the initial fee was around $300, and after that it is around $75 per year annually (just to cover the cost of insurance). You will be issued most of your uniforms, although you may need to buy a couple items if they don't have your size. (We had to buy boots and BDU's for my smaller kid).

Our unit pays the cost of one training per year, up to $200. So in our unit, there is no cost for recruit training, since the unit pays the first training of the year. If you choose to attend more trainings you are allowed to do so, but the cost is on you (or your parents) to pay. As an example, one of my kids is moving from League into Sea this year, so he must attend RT, which our unit is paying for. He is also going to advanced sailing this summer after RT, but I am paying for that ($150).

Most trainings are in the summer and over winter break. The cost for trainings ranges from around $150-$400 - the higher cost trainings are for scuba and the Special Forces type trainings. We are in Missouri and my 3 Sea Cadets have been to trainings in Iowa, Kentucky, Tennessee and Colorado. The travel getting to the trainings is also your cost. There are trainings all over the country and even the world.

My oldest daughter graduated from the program last spring. She would tell you that being a Sea Cadet prepared her well for her future as a Marine Corps officer.

Read the Sea Cadet Quarterly, this one from June 2016 gives lots of insight where the graduating Sea Cadets are heading after high school.

https://indd.adobe.com/view/f637b45a-4088-4280-bcf8-1e7c219daa14
 
BMR= Basic Military Requirements
It is coursework you have to finish before moving out of Indoc/Xray. They will tell you all about it when you sign up. I'm surprised they have a cap on the number of cadets but that may be an instructor to cadet ratio thing. Our CO has a great way of peer pressuring parents into signing up, hence the reason I am now the Supply Officer, which is great because that's what I did in NJROTC.

What kind of commitments do you have to make?
You are expected to attend drill every month. We have kids that participate in other activities so we allow cadets to miss one day if they have to or come late. if they can't attend they have to contact an instructor to let them know why. Two non-notified absences they risk getting discharged.

How will being a Sea Cadet impact your personal life?
For my cadet, it made a huge difference in her focus, and drive. She is the youngest so she was used to being "the baby" and didn't try very hard when it came to school. Now she has stepped up as a leader in school and church. If someone had asked me 2 years ago if my dd wanted to go to an SA I would have laughed because we were just hoping she would make it through HS.

I know some trainings are far away, so how often do you travel?
So far we haven't traveled much because our Unit hosts a large multi-topic training each year. So getting to League Cadet orientation was an hour drive. This year we just found out we can host an NLCC AT where the cadets will rotate through MAA, Culinary, Photojournalism, and Medical trainings with the Sea Cadets. Depending on how summer pans out with STEM and church camp, she wants to do the Leadership training for Leaguers in Georgia. We will probably drive her out.

My parents tell me not to worry about costs but I'm still concerned--aside from the $405 enrollment fee, generally, how much money does it cost you?
We pay $120 up front plus $65 for the BDU parka. That includes all of her uniforms for the life of the program. I did have to buy the dress uniforms but that was all easily bought at Walmart. Every year I have to pay a $70 membership fee. Oh and there is $20 each month for drill. This covers our use of the building on base and eating in the cafeteria.

Beside the trainings, what activities do you do during drills?
Oh what don't we do! So far this year at drill we have shadowed the flight line during a Blue Angels show, shadowed the MPs on base, toured the fire dept and put out fires they lit on the tarmac, did marksmanship training with the police dept, volunteered at the food pantry, went up in the air traffic control tower, we do outdoor survival where the cadets have to find a fallen sailor and move him to safety while avoiding the "enemy" team, they play flag football, have shoe shine parties, special guests that talk about everything from types of Navy vessels to what it's like being a pilot. I can honestly say the only time they get bored is if it rains and they all get stuck inside. We also do color guard duties for just about every event on our base.
 
EOD/SEALmom said:
@OZZY - I must correct something: Sea Cadets is NOT enlisted oriented. In fact, you will be encouraged to apply to service academies. If you apply to and are accepted into any of the service academy's summer programs while in high school, the USNSCC will even pay the cost to attend.

Every unit is different with the costs; at my kid's unit the initial fee was around $300, and after that it is around $75 per year annually (just to cover the cost of insurance). You will be issued most of your uniforms, although you may need to buy a couple items if they don't have your size. (We had to buy boots and BDU's for my smaller kid).

Our unit pays the cost of one training per year, up to $200. So in our unit, there is no cost for recruit training, since the unit pays the first training of the year. If you choose to attend more trainings you are allowed to do so, but the cost is on you (or your parents) to pay. As an example, one of my kids is moving from League into Sea this year, so he must attend RT, which our unit is paying for. He is also going to advanced sailing this summer after RT, but I am paying for that ($150).

Most trainings are in the summer and over winter break. The cost for trainings ranges from around $150-$400 - the higher cost trainings are for scuba and the Special Forces type trainings. We are in Missouri and my 3 Sea Cadets have been to trainings in Iowa, Kentucky, Tennessee and Colorado. The travel getting to the trainings is also your cost. There are trainings all over the country and even the world.

My oldest daughter graduated from the program last spring. She would tell you that being a Sea Cadet prepared her well for her future as a Marine Corps officer.

Read the Sea Cadet Quarterly, this one from June 2016 gives lots of insight where the graduating Sea Cadets are heading after high school.

https://indd.adobe.com/view/f637b45a-4088-4280-bcf8-1e7c219daa14
Click to expand...
Well it looks like I've been misinformed. I had heard that at the meeting and I guess I was also confused by the uniforms they wear. Regardless it looks like a great program for an aspiring officer like me.
For the experiences and skills gained during the trainings the costs are pretty good, it seems. I feel like I'm worrying too much since money shouldn't be a problem and I haven't even submitted the application yet. I'm going to join anyway. Just to confirm, there is aviation training, right?
 
You might have heard them speak about rank following into enlistment; the rank that Sea Cadets earn follows them if they choose to enlist, up to E-3 rank. The rank does not follow on a commissioning path. Many do choose to enlist, and it is an option.
Commissioning as an officer is not something everyone aspires to. Our country needs both officers and enlisted.

I know there has been aviation trainings, although my kids have not attended any. The trainings change every year, largely dependent on funding for the year. Some years have more trainings than others. This summer's trainings are just starting to be posted.
 
Oh thank you @seacadetmum. My parents didn't even know what USNSCC was a month ago, so they can't help. Congrats to you and your daughter, I'm happy to hear how well she is doing. Pretty excited to join but I don't think it's going to be easy...I'm not sure how competitive the other aspiring cadets are but I think I have a good chance. Only about ten days 'til I shadow and hand in my application, wish me luck :p

@EOD/SEALmom Will most likely attend an aviation training if I even get in. Some of the other trainings interest me, is it possible to attend multiple trainings in one summer (or winter)? I'm having trouble understanding how they work, can you attend a bunch of trainings with different activities/topics? For example, if one wants to attend photojournalism training and SEAL training. Sorry my questions are confusing.
 
Yes, you can attend multiple trainings - but you unit will need to approve it. My oldest did three trainings one summer and another one during the winter (she worked two jobs to pay for them herself [emoji4]).

Going to a variety of trainings is absolutely possible! The SEAL training (plus a few others) you need to apply for to be accepted, including a PT test.
 
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