Aye aye, teens

Soldiers going up in an F-14 Tomcat or F-18 Hornet may take a double look at the person sitting next to them in the cockpit. Or a sailor aboard a cruiser or destroyer may glance over at her mate, and be startled by what she sees. A Navy SEAL may be stunned when he sees his partner for the week. Why? Because that person sitting in the cockpit, on the deck of a Navy ship or in a commando unit like the seals just may be a kid.

A kid with a lot of responsibility, though, you can be sure. Teens ages 13-17 are taking part in the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps, an organization that introduces teens to life in military maritime matters. While the organization has been around since the early 1960s, many teens don't know about it.

"It's one of the best kept secrets for kids," said Lt. Ron Sommers of Palmer, who is active in the only Sea Cadets group in Alaska.

Sommers' son, Tony Keller, is a recent graduate of the Sea Cadets and will enter the U.S. Navy SEALS unit as the youngest in history.

"The opportunities the cadets get through this program are just remarkable," Sommer said. "My son was always told he was too short or too this or too that, but look at him now."

The Naval Sea Cadet Corps (NSCC) was established by the Navy League of the United States in 1958 for two reasons. The first is to help young Americans become more patriotic and responsible citizens. The second reason was to help young Americans understand the role of the maritime services in national defense and in maintaining the economic viability of the nation.

For the cadets, it is the opportunity of a lifetime.

"It is a great learning experience for me and a way to advance," said 18-year-old April Thomas, a senior at Colony and a sea cadet. "I want to go the Naval Academy, and this is a good way for me to do that."

Thomas has been a sea cadet since February. She is also a part of the Colony High School Jr. ROTC program. Last June, she traveled to basic military training in Illinois, and went through the same regimen that a Navy recruit goes through.

There are a number of reasons cadets join, and their future is a big reason. There is a rank structure exactly like that of the U.S. Navy, and if a cadet decides to enter the military, they are automatically advanced pay grades based on ranks earned. After three years in the NSCC, if a cadet advances to an E-3 rank, they graduate boot camp with a three-grade pay raise. Cadets also can earn military academy appointments and ROTC scholarships through participating in the corps.

"I came out as the honor graduate in my division. If I were to enlist in the Navy, I'd already be an E-2 and get a higher pay grade," Thomas said.

Thomas wants to enter the linguistics field in the military, because, she said, "it will prepare me for a career in the military and once I retire from the military."

Without having to enlist in the military, teens can get a first-hand experience with the sea services -- Navy, Coast Guard and Merchant Marines. Cadets get the opportunity to attend camps in the Lower 48 at real Navy and Coast Guard bases, and each camp is suited to a cadet's area of study or curiosity. There are firefighting schools, law enforcement schools, work on submarines, cruisers and flights, construction and just about every other imaginable field.

"They go through a regular two-week boot camp at Great Lakes (a boot camp), and then every summer after that cadets get two-week training opportunities," Sommers said.

"They can serve on subs, cruisers, destroyers, just about anything. It ranges from music camp with the Navy Band all the way to earning their wings in the air," Sommers added.

There are about 25 cadets in Alaska, Sommer said, with roughly half of those from the Valley and half from Anchorage. They meet once or twice a month at Fort Richardson for routine drills and inspections, and perform at public events, and they do community service throughout the year.

The NSCC is funded almost entirely through private donations. Up until a few years ago, the government didn't fund any activity. Now government funding has been available, but nowhere near the amount of money that is spent by the organization.

"We charge 40 bucks for enrollment and insurance. We're trying to make it as affordable as possible for kids to join," Sommers said. "The kids get to do a lot of really cool stuff. We don't coddle them or wussy down the exercises. They are treated like adults, and that's what we are preparing them for -- adulthood."

Cadets wear regular Navy uniforms, which are paid for through donations from the community. It is like being in the Navy, before actually being in the Navy.

"There are training opportunities available through this program that aren't available anywhere else in the country," Sommers said.

In the past few years, military training may not have seemed as important, even to the teens and young men and women who participate. But the world has changed since last year, with global conflicts taking place daily. Still, it doesn't scare Thomas. In fact, she said her experience as a sea cadet has made her even more ready to face her future in the military.

"I'm pretty excited, actually," Thomas said. "I've gone through the Naval Sea Cadets and they are helping me learn what it is like in real military life. Once I get there, I'll be ready for everything because I've already experienced it."

The Sea Cadets are recruiting locally for the only Alaska division. Any teen between the ages of 13 and 17 -- boys and girls -- can contact Sommers at 746-1573.