Peninsula schools win Naval cadet program
A Naval cadet program coming to Peninsula School District could begin training future sailors as early as 2021, the district has announced.
It’s not NJROTC, the popular Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps feeder program, but it’s something very like it, according to the district.
The program is called the Navy National Defense Cadet Corps, and it basically replicates NJROTC — same uniforms, same retired service instructors, same curriculum — but is funded by the school district, rather than the Navy.
Located at Peninsula High School, the program will be open to all high school students 14 and older throughout the district.
According to a district release, “All JROTC programs currently have waitlists, so Peninsula School District applied to host an NNDCC site in an effort to provide the important pathway option for students.”
The NNDCC was established in 2008, as budget cuts began to limit the number of NJROTC programs the Navy could administer. The Air Force has a similar program.
Vetted by Navy
Peninsula High School was awarded a unit by the Navy after a rigorous evaluation process, said district spokesperson Aimee Gordon.
“NNDCC and NJROTC are programs that mirror each other with regard to curriculum, expectations, co-curricular events, and post-secondary opportunities,” Gordon explained. “The major difference between the two programs is how it is funded. Typically, JROTC is funded partially through the federal government and partially through the school district. The NNDCC is funded through the district with some equipment provided by the Navy.”
Students who participate in NNDCC and go on to the military may be recognized with advanced rank. Students who plan to attend college may continue with the Navy Senior ROTC program, which can result in a commissioned position with the military after graduation.
School Board Director Natalie Wimberley has been a key member of the team that has worked to bring the NNDCC program to the district, Gordon said.
“I am absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to begin a Cadet Corps program in Peninsula Schools and am thankful for the team of staff and volunteers working together to this end over the past several years,” Wimberley said in a district release.
“This inclusive program engages students of all abilities, defying racial, cultural, and socioeconomic barriers. Our students will learn invaluable leadership skills, build confidence, and develop deep and meaningful friendships, while participating in activities that prioritize physical health, self-discipline, patriotism, and civic engagement.”
Nautical skills
According to the Navy, the cadet corps curriculum is virtually identical to the NJROTC curriculum. In includes a basic introduction to the Navy — its customs, traditions and way of life, shipboard organization and history — and subjects like navigation, seamanship, nautical astronomy, electronics and oceanography. And, as in ROTC, there is marching and drilling.
Cadets who complete three years of the program can enlist in the Navy with a two-step jump in rank to Seaman (E-3). In addition, instructors of each cadet corps may nominate up to three graduating cadets for slots at the U.S. Naval Academy or other service academies.
Instructors are retired Navy, Marine or Coast Guard officers who are vetted by the Navy but paid by the school district.
This story was originally published June 24, 2020 at 8:52 AM.