Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Cadet unit rebounds and wins recognition
Have you heard?
JoAnne Poindexter
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Fourteen members of the Roanoke division of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps were among 120 cadets who recently completed two weeks of recruit basic training at Camp Pendleton in Virginia Beach.
The training was designed and conducted by Navy drill instructors with assistance from the Marines and U.S. Coast Guard.
Roanoke NSCC adult leaders Lt. Tim Frazier, the commanding officer, and Ensign Lori Lamartina; and two senior cadets, Petty Officer 2 Gabe Lamartina and Petty Officer 1 Tempry Goff, staffed the recruit training. Petty Officer 2 Joshua Whitt, a senior cadet, staffed the master-at-arms training.
In addition to the two-week training, the cadets, ages 13 to 16, received monthly training on topics including first aid, military customs and survival at sea, according to Ensign Beth Reed, public relations officer for the Roanoke division.
For a corps that was in danger of disbanding about a year ago, the Roanoke division, which draws students from as far away as Waynesboro and Lewisburg, W.Va., has been successful at recruiting new cadets and earning awards and recognitions this year.
The unit has grown from nine members in February 2008 to 28. It is still accepting applications.
The unit's first graduates, Joseph Cinquemani, a 2009 Lord Botetourt High School graduate, and Lucas Moffett, a 2009 Stuarts Draft High School graduate, have become midshipmen and will attend Virginia Military Institute in Lexington this fall.
The unit also earned two of four National USNSCC awards following a March inspection.
The Certificate of Honor is the highest award that can be achieved by a unit. It signifies the superior teamwork of unit officers and cadets, and recognizes exemplary performance, training and administration during 2008.
The corps also earned the Certificate of Achievement for the most improved unit. The award is for achievement in improving annual inspection scores by 20 percent from 2007.
The Roanoke team also has teamed with the White House to become a certifying organization for the President's Volunteer Service Award, a national program that recognizes Americans who have demonstrated a sustained commitment to volunteer service.
The Roanoke cadets will verify service hours, nominate potential recipients and deliver the award.
