A royal welcome in U.K. for visiting U.S. Sea Cadets

Sea Power, Aug 1999 by Reynolds, Jean B

More than 100 members of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps (NSCC) had the opportunity this summer to participate in the Corps' 1999 Foreign Exchange Program. The cadets, specially selected from units throughout the United States, were members of NSCC contingents training with their foreign counterparts in Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.

The itinerary and training agenda for the 19-member NSCC group (14 Sea Cadets and five escort officers) participating in this year's U.S./U.K. exchange program were more or less typical of previous such exchanges, but with one important difference: the opportunity to take part in the 100th anniversary celebration of the United Kingdom's T.S. Windsor Castle and Eton Sea Cadet Corps (SCC) unit, highlighted by the presence of Queen Elizabeth.

The NSCC group departed on 12 June from various cities throughout the United States, arriving the next morning at London's Heathrow Airport, and after passing through customs was taken by coach to the port of Portsmouth in southern England for six days of training aboard the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Bristol (homeported at the R.N. training base HMS Excellent in Portsmouth, which was one of the major ports of embarkation for the Allied D-Day invasion of Europe on 6 June 1944).

The training aboard HMS Bristol included general shipboard orientation and departmental tours as well as special instruction in Levels 1 & 2 boating, small-arms training, and courses in naval leadership. There were also numerous cultural visits to, among other historic sites and attractions in the area: the D-Day Map Room at HMS Tryad, Fort Nelson, the Naval Museum and Royal Marine Museum, and HMS Victory (Lord Horatio Nelson's flagship during the battle of Trafalgar).

The next segment of the two-week trip was to HMS Raleigh, the R.N. training base in nearby Plymouth, where the visiting cadets continued their leadership training, went through an assault course, participated in a number of sports events, and received instruction in fire control and damage control. Again, several cultural tours and visits were included in the four-day segment, including but not limited to: visits to Arundel Castle, Stonehenge, and the town of Plymouth, a tour of a local shipyard and ropery, and several hours at the HMS Drake Naval Museum.

The final leg of the trip started with a coach trip to the T.S. Windsor Castle and Eton U.K. SCC facilities in London, where the visiting American Sea Cadets continued their training and participated with their British counterparts in the U.K. unit's centennial celebration, which included the visit by Queen Elizabeth on 25 June.

"Her majesty was extremely gracious," said Lt. Cdr. David A. Farrow, NSCC, commanding officer of the Corps' Boca Delray Division (Fla.) and the senior NSCC escort officer on the trip. "She seemed very knowledgeable about the Sea Cadet programs of both countries, and was extremely supportive, taking time from her very busy schedule to talk to several of the cadets and escort officers. Her visit was definitely the highlight of the entire two weeks for all of us."

There were numerous other highlights in the London segment of the exchange, though, including a London day trip, tours of Windsor Castle and Eton College, and the opportunity to visit such well-known tourist attractions as the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace.

The program concluded, the visiting Sea Cadets and escort officers departed from Heathrow on Sunday, 27 June, arriving at their various destinations later that same day.

"The trip was exciting, educational, and, really, the experience of a lifetime," Farrow said. "It was the first overseas trip for many of the Sea Cadets, all of whom learned many important lessons-in leadership and diplomacy as well as in seamanshipthat will be invaluable to them for the rest of their lives. They were excellent ambassadors for the United States, and I know they will be much better citizens as a result of their experiences."

Footnote: Special thanks are extended to Lt. Cdr. David A. Farrow, NSCC, and his wife Nancy Farrowwho provided much of the information included in this Special Report-and to the NSCC's headquarters staff in Arlington, Va. A more comprehensive article on the NSCC's 1999 summer training program will be included in the September issue of Sea Power; an expanded report on the NSCC's 1999 Foreign Exchange Program is scheduled for the December issue of Sea Power. (For additional information about the program contact: Headquarters, Naval Sea Cadet Corps, 2300 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Va. 22201-3308; phone 703x243-6910; Fax 703x243-3985.)