AUSN Participates in Annual Inspection of the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps George Washington Division
- AUSN Staff
- Feb 28
- 4 min read
AUSN Executive Director Steve Rogers participated in the inspection of cadets during the recent United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps George Washington Division’s Annual Inspection on Saturday, February 15, at the State University of New York (SUNY) Maritime College campus in the Bronx, NY. In attendance were parents and relatives of the cadets, VIPs, the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps (USNSCC) Regional Director and staff, along with the Officers and Cadets from the George Washington Division.
Conducted as a part of the national United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps program, the annual inspection assesses a variety of components within a commissioned unit, including Administration, Attendance, Military Cohesion, Teamwork, Unit Adaptability, and Personnel. This formal review further provides an opportunity to showcase the skills that each cadet has acquired through Recruit and Advanced Training, as well as Monthly Drills.
The inspection begins with a scripted ceremony of the Personnel Inspection that evaluates a Cadet’s Military Bearing, Appearance, and Attention to Detail. “This segment constitutes a significant portion of the overall inspection, and successfully passing is deemed a clear indicator of a highly successful unit,” explained LTJG Priska Diaz, M.S. and NSCC Commanding Officer. “Last year the George Washington Division was named the best unit in the region.”
This year's inspection was followed by a Chief Petty Officer pinning and capping ceremony, recognizing cadet rank promotions and acknowledgment of sponsoring representatives CAPT. Thomas Murphy, Chief of Staff at SUNY Maritime; CDR Sterling Schwab, AUSN member; and AUSN Executive Director LCDR Steve Rogers, who also formally addressed the cadets and their parents.
“You are the future of our Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine Service. What I witnessed today was an extraordinary display of patriotism, commitment, and dedication to our commitment as partners to ‘Stand the Watch’ on behalf of the American people. Thank you and the parents for the investment you have made for the future of our country,” stated Rogers.
Cadets in the George Washington Division (GWD) range from 10 to 18 years old. Those 10 to 13 are League Cadets, while those aged 13 to 18 are Sea Cadets. Fifty-two cadets engage in monthly drills, education and training.
All three of last year’s graduating seniors joined the Armed Forces, while seven out of eight of this year's graduates plan to follow a similar path. One graduating senior has already received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy, another has earned an NROTC scholarship, and three have been accepted to SUNY Maritime.
Making these accomplishments even more impressive, after the COVID-19 pandemic, the division reopened with only eight registered cadets. Through open houses and direct recruitment, the unit grew to 12 cadets by the end of the year. However, the key growth impetus occurred when SUNY Maritime opened its doors to the GWD in March of 2022, and the division quickly doubled.
Serving youth from North Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, The Bronx, Western Long Island, Eastern New Jersey, and Lower Westchester, the GWD classroom is located in the historic Fort Schuyler on the SUNY Maritime campus. The cadets drill one weekend each month and train to be physically prepared to pass the biannual Physical Readiness Test. Activities include field trips to naval bases, museums, memorials, FAA ground school, and community service in partnership with other youth institutions. The cadets also learn about U.S. Navy history, complete coursework, earn well-deserved promotions and proudly represent their unit in parades. Additionally, they can travel across the country and participate in advanced training in engineering, sailing, culinary arts, space camps, aviation, photojournalism, and medicine.
“Our mission is to expose cadets to a well-rounded blend of military education, adventure, challenge, discipline, and fun. These activities include monthly drills, overnight trips to the service academies, STEM-related activities, age-appropriate certifications, and hands-on, marketable skills,” stated Diaz.
In preparation for the Annual Inspection, the cadets crafted the script and rehearsed for several weeks. Four cadets were part of the Color Guard and Color Presentation. One 10-year-old cadet sang the National Anthem, two served as MAAs (Master at Arms) and four welcomed the official party as sideboys. The Chief Petty Officer, Lead Petty Officer, and Assistant Lead Petty Officer commanded all four squads to march into the lecture hall, guided by their respective Squad Leaders.
For the event, all cadets prepared for inspection, which required clean and perfectly ironed uniforms with proper creases, neckerchiefs folded with impeccable square knots, grooming according to regulations (military haircut, short nails, clean shave, etc.), shined shoes, name tags, and ribbons placed appropriately on the uniform. Additionally, Sea Cadet flashes were sewn exactly one inch below the shoulder seam.
Cadets do not receive individual awards for participating in the Annual Inspections; however, there are several awards for entire units achieving excellent scores, and all cadets in each winning unit receive special ribbons or appurtenances.
Further details about the programs and opportunities offered by the George Washington Division of the United States Navy Sea Cadet Corps are available on the GWD-USNSCC website.
