Today's update comes at a time when we are beginning to draw down our busy summer schedule. I am just returning from a very successful two week training up at the Great Lakes Naval Station where we put 61 cadets through an engineering course and a basic and advanced medical (corpsman) course. Summer brings on this kind of training's all across the country engaging thousands of young men and women in challenging training opportunities. Back on the home front before the on slot of summer training, the division has accomplished a lot as documented below. We cancelled out July training due to the high level of operations, which we call "Op-Tempo" in military jargon. Normal drills will resume in August.

Probably the biggest thing I have to report this go-around is that we have entered into a joint adoption as sister units of the Newhaven and Seaford Sea Cadet Unit of Chapel Street, Newhaven, East Sussex, United Kingdom. This is a great opportunity for cadets (and adults) from two different countries to become familiar with one another who share common interests.

Our cadets have attended boot camp training's at Camp Smith, NY and Fort Dix, NJ and the next six cadets report to Camp Edwards, MA on 4 Aug 06; then our 3 young Leaguers report on 6 Aug 06 to Ft Monmouth, NJ for League Orientation. Cadets Anderson and Felicetti are up at Newport, RI next weekend for the MAA course; Cadets Litts and Marshall will be departing for Norfolk Naval Station in Virginia to attend the POLA (Petty Officer's Leadership Academy). All together, I believe we had 21 Cadets away at training this summer. So far, all have done well and I do not expect any change from that.

As you should be aware, we have an outstanding and very busy public affairs officer (PAO) on board as mentioned in my 9 May update. I have provided him with the e-mail address of all cadets and staff so you will get an advanced copy of all news releases so you know what we're up to. If anyone is not getting news releases from the LibertyAGTR5 Listserver and you would like to be included please send me a note and I'll ensure you are added to the listserver. That goes for any of you parents as well. This is a great way for you to know what we have done and are doing for your Cadets. All parents and friends of Cadets or other interested parties are welcome to join the listserver; just sent me an e-mail and include your name and e-mail address. In the SUBJECT line please include somewhere the acronym "NSCC" so your e-mail doesn't get deleted prematurely.

PO TEST SCORES:

The following scores are applicable to the Cadets and exams as indicated:

PO-1
Cadet Daniel Deland - 74
PO-3
Cadet Michael Troise - 85
Cadet John Kohl - 62
Cadet Timothy McManus - 74
Cadet Justin Wahl - 85
Cadet Robert Litts - 91
Cadet Steven Anderson - 86
Matthew Felicetti - 96

These scores reflect a great deal of effort on the part of the Cadets. Most notably is Cadet Felicetti who came in with a score of 96. Our HQ Representative: CAPT Sobieray, advised us that 96 is the highest score ANY Sea Cadet has achieved on this exam in the past ten (10) years. A very big BRAVO-ZULU to Cadet Felicetti; You have set the bar for others to perform to. Just another reason why this Division disserves number ONE!!

PARENT'S SUPPORT QUESTIONNAIRES

To date, I have received nine (9) parent's questionnaires and as a result I have a parent's e-mail distribution list of nine (9). I don't want to name names so if you sent out your questionnaire and wonder if I received it or not, please send me an e-mail by clicking here and I will let you know if I received it or not. I will send out an e-mail to those on the distro list shortly to let you know you are on the list. If you don't get the e-mail, I have not received your questionnaire yet. If you need a copy of the Parent's Questionnaire, click HERE.

OUR FIRST PARENT'S MEETING

We held our first Parent's Meeting on Sunday - 5 Mar 06. I had hoped for a bigger turn-out but I assume that as we move forward participation will move one way or the other. I would like to extend my gratitude to the parents who attended. For those who were unable to attend (AWOL) I took some time to express my intention of moving the Division forward and engaging our Cadets in more off-station activities. I discussed the formation of the Parent's Working Group and how we need to proceed on that aspect; much a re-hash of my letter I sent out last month (if you did not get the letter, click on the blue, underlined links above). I have NOT however, received any notices from parents who are willing to "Chair" the group. Also discussed was the idea of building a Parent's e-mail distribution list so I can send out information / announcements to parents directly (without reliance of the Cadets passing on information) concerning that information that your - the parents, need to know. I know there are some energetic parents out there - don't shy. I don't want to start "drafting."

I am happy to announce that the following personnel have taken the advancement exams as indicated below. IAW Division policy, passing the exam is the FIRST step toward earning your promotion. Once the scores come in we will move on to the next step in the process - a review and evaluation of the individual attendance and performance during the performance period immediately preceding the passing of the exam. Keep in mind that just passing the exam does NOT ensure your promotion, it only means that you are ELLEGABLE. More to come.

PO-1
Cadet Daniel Deland
PO-3
Cadet Michael Troise
Cadet John Kohl
Cadet Timothy McManus
Cadet Justin Wahl
Cadet Robert Litts
Cadet Steven Anderson
Matthew Jude Felicetti

TRIP TO THE INTREPID

February was a productive and fun month, one that my XO and I want to make a more frequent event. We spent Saturday on board the USS INTREPID in New York Harbor.

The turnout was excellent. We had 33 cadets turn out for this event, which was about 20 more than the INTREPID staff had expected. The day started out with some hands-on cleaning of the CIC (combat information center), the radio rooms and the bridge. Although it was almost "work" the cadets got the chance no other visitors ever get; they got behind the scenes, in the ship's areas behind the locked doors and plexiglas partitions where one today can only imagine or dream of. The real payoff was after the pizza lunch when all the cadets broke down into three groups and teamed up with one of the "salty" crew members of the INTREPID Volunteer staff to go into the ship's working areas where no visitors go - the engine room and boiler rooms where they learned the hard life the WWII crew had to endure. Although most of the volunteer crew were tin-can-sailors (Destroyer crew), their knowledge of the Navy, the sea and the INTREPID was very impressive and clearly helped to make our visit very enjoyable.

The next day the cadets who were on the INTREPID the previous day gave written (anonymous) critiques of their experiences highlighting the good and the bad. The good parts of the critiques ran the gamut from "outstanding" to "awesome" to "really cool, I want to go back." The less than favorable comments included the expected "too much like work" to not having enough time to do everything they wanted to do. The overwhelming impression was a very good one and all hands said they would love to return to work with the INTREPID crew. The best part (according to the cadets) was talking with the WWII crew members and listening to their "war stories."

INTREPID is in the process of putting a division of its own together and we have been invited back to do more and different work. We hope to get more "face-time" with both the public and the crew in the future. We also intend on working closely with the new division's commanding officer and his staff to get his unit up and running. The prospects for conducting joint training between the two units is bright and very encouraging. Our biggest problem is now and will continue to be TRANSPORTATION. Thanks to the parents of NLCC Cadet Vinnie Lamanna we were able to rent a school bus to get the Manhattan and back. Not a limousine by far, it got us there and I express the thanks of the entire division to Vinnie's parents for their help without which this adventure would not have been possible. We need more parents to get involved even the behind-the-scenes of arranging or coordinating things such as transportation is invaluable.