cadet blogs

As I finish up the last year at the Academy, I am reminded of all the lasts I have left. My last first day of class. My last CAP week. My last Head of the Charles regatta. My last Labor Day Retreat. My last guaranteed Christmas break. The list continues. This is truly the beginning of the end of my time here at the Academy.

For Mechanical Engineers at the Academy, fall semester 1/c year is said to be the hardest and it is living up to its reputation. Classes are meant to challenge and bring together the past 3 years of learning in a culminating project known as Capstone. In addition, by first class year you are the leader in the activities you participated in the previous years. So in addition to being a Mechanical Engineer, I lead a division, am co-captain of the women’s crew team, participate on the Habitat for Humanity 2013 Council, help with Officer’s Christian Fellowship, and, and, and. The great thing about it all is that everything that I am a part of is something I really enjoy which make the overwhelming parts worth it.

So as I look towards the approaching end, I remind myself I have plenty of months to stretch out the time with friends, and only two more semesters until I am done with school. It isn’t over yet, for better or worse.

More about Jessica.

It has been a long two years! I have been a part of so many things, which now I have time to write about. Since my first post (and only post), I have survived 4/c year, sailed around the world (almost), weathered the engineering academics of 3/c year, and taken part in the life-changing 11-week cadre summer. This summer was a time of growth and maturity for the Swabs of 2016, but more importantly, our Great Class of 2014. We experienced a new aspect of the Coast Guard each week and got a taste of various paths we could pursue in the future. I visualize the summer in three categories: Classroom Learning, Coast Guard Application, and Leadership Development.

Classroom Learning involved a week of Rules of the Road (ROTR), which is driver’s ed for the ocean. I had this class right after my three weeks of leave, so I was well rested and able to really take in all of the information. As a follow up to the classroom material, all of the 2/c either participated in the two week Coastal Sail program on the new Leadership 44’s or sailed around the Thames for a week on the Colgates. I sailed on the Colgates, which was really interesting because we got to explore the river and everything around the Academy’s waterfront. We used our ROTR knowledge to properly navigate our way past ferries and passing traffic all the way to Fisher’s Island for a day trip.

Coast Guard Application was a larger portion of the summer, including a trip to the Elizabeth City CG Air Station for the Cadet Aviation Training Program or CATP, a week on T-boats, and a week of pistol range. Elizabeth City (although a 17 hour drive away) was so amazing! The aviation community in the Coast Guard is so different from ship life. The pilots were all so very proud of everything they had accomplished and were eager to get us excited. We all got to be hoisted into a helicopter from the water as a training exercise for the rescue swimmers. It was difficult leaving after having so much fun at work! T-boats was a lot of fun as well. We got to apply everything we had ever learned on a boat and drive around (a bit recklessly, might I add) and try not to hit anything. We went over many standard procedures throughout the Coast Guard so we will know what to do when we go to our next units. There were eight cadets and one LT on board and we had such a great time. Range week was also a highlight for me. I had never really shot a gun before, but the staff down at the range was great. I qualified my first round as Sharpshooter! 100% of 2014 qualified, which has only happened one other time at the Academy.

The Leadership Development phase of the summer was definitely the most gratifying, humbling, and rewarding time of my life. Believe me when I say it was a privilege to be a Foxtrot cadre. All 28 of my swabs had an immense impact on my life and I thank each and every one of them for it. As much as they learned these past two months, the cadre learned even more and we couldn't have done it without them. Although I was definitely the cadre that yelled the most, I absolutely respected and cared for every swab because they made the same decision I did two years ago. To any Foxtrot parents reading, it was an honor to work with your son or daughter and I hope to someday work with them in the fleet. I didn’t know what it was like to be truly responsible for someone else until July 8th. It was so easy to forget to brush my own teeth even though I yelled down the hall every night for them to brush theirs…

It is absolutely true that 2/c summer is the best summer of your Academy career. It is amazing to see where I have been in these past two years, but it is crazier to see where I will go.

More about Anna.

The third part of my summer was spent at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I worked in the Robotics Department on an assortment of projects. Most of what I did was spend time in front of a computer researching how to work with programming and certain electronics. It was frustrating at times, especially the start when I had no concept of how/where to begin, but the people were awesome and the time flew by. The working environment at Sandia was so different from the Academy and military in general. The hours weren’t as structured, the uniform was civilian clothes and I was a first name basis with everyone, including people with multiple Ph.D.s. I went biking with my boss and co-workers, I attended trainings and heard guest speakers, and I met with other faculty and staff to learn about their missions and jobs. I can’t speak of most of what I saw, but it opened my eyes to the possibilities of engineering and studying outside of the Coast Guard.

Outside of work, other the students from other service academies and I went on road trips, hiking, biking, on trams, out to eat, celebrated a few 21st birthdays, went swimming in a diving hole, explored the Carlsbad Caverns, went sledding on white sand, and just generally explored the area until time ran out and we left for our three weeks of leave at home.

More about Jessica.

Last year (fourth class year) and through the summer, I struggled to come to terms with the fact that I am an adult—and one that is practically living “independently” (as in, not relying on my parents for much of anything). I felt as if time had stopped and I had stopped growing up at 17.5 years (middle of my senior year). Academics last year seemed strikingly like high school, and this summer felt oddly like a giant, regimented summer camp. Honestly, I was frustrated that I didn’t feel older, more mature. Until I returned to the Academy in the middle of August for the start of classes.

A number of factors contributed to my new sense of adulthood. First there was a new class below mine; we were no longer the “little ones.” Instead we are now the ones looking out for the fourth class. In addition, there are greater responsibilities placed on the third class (3/c)—such as being in charge of a day of watch (duty).

Academics also played a role in my perception change. This year I am taking more major-specific classes. While my course schedule has always been slightly different than my peers’ (as a result of the five classes validated [tested-out of]), this year everyone is taking classes in their major. There is a more diversified range of classes among my classmates; it no longer feels as if we are too young to pick our own classes, so they (the mysterious “they”) assign us all the same course load. But back to my major, Marine and Environmental Science (MES), the simple fact that I am taking classes to develop myself as a marine and environmental scientist astonishes me. I’m working toward being something—somebody—I will be for the rest of my life/professional career. I had this epiphany the other night as I was working on a detailed lab report about a local estuary; that made me feel like a college student.

And finally, I’ve taken on leadership roles in my extracurricular activities, too, which has required me to embrace a higher level of responsibility. I am a media specialist (as I call myself) for both Officers’ Christian Fellowship and the Sustainability Club (check out the video I made to promote the club: www.uscga.edu/campus.aspx?id=678 under ‘Videos’ on lower right hand side of the page). I attend the leadership meetings for OCF and make decisions about the Sustainability Club with the two other presidents and the advisers of the club.

I would say that all that time I thought had stopped has caught up with me, which required me to grow up quickly—or at least feel more grown up practically overnight. Sure, I’m still the spastic teenager (I’m still only 19) who likes jumping up and down to loud music and running around trying to lift others’ spirits by doing crazy things (like writing pop song parodies about classes or being a 4/c cadet), but when I step back and assess my life, comparing it to who I was a year ago, I feel more mature. But that’s just me…

More about Justin.

After rowing Nationals, I was sent to San Diego, California on the CGC Boutwell. It was the same cutter I was stationed on as a 3/c cadet. Since then, it had changed homeports and crews. Because rowing crew had cut into my summer, I was stationed on the Boutwell for about 18 days instead of the standard 42. Luckily, I had already completed many of the trainings 2 years ago onboard the cutter so I was able to qualify Security Watch within those few weeks.

When I first got the assignment to the CGC Boutwell, I was disappointed, as I had already experienced the exact same cutter. However, I am really happy I was sent back. The attitude and the operational success of the cutter had been transformed since I had last been aboard. It was awesome to see the difference in the cutters performance, the crew’s attitude toward not only cadets, but the Coast Guard in general. It was a great example to me about how leadership does have an impact.

But just as soon as I felt settled down, it was time to fly off to Albuquerque for my internship.

More about Jessica.