Navy League Cadets train at Bethel Youth Camp
Bethel Youth Camp of Hawks made for a perfect location for Navy League Cadet Corps (NLCC) training. Some of the boys and girls, 11 to 13 years old, arrived from Battle Creek, metro Detroit, Mt. Clemens and Grayling as individuals, but learned to be part of a cohesive team by the time they all graduated Saturday, said commanding officer LTJG Lisa Stoyanovich. “We had a great week,” said Stoyanovich of Shelby Township, who was one of many volunteers to participate at the Presque Isle County camp, a few miles southwest of Hawks on Ward Branch Road. LCDR Arthur Eisenstein traveled the farthest, paying his way to fly from Maryland for the exercise. The program was conducted at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center until September 11, 2001 and was moved for security reasons.
IT WAS ORIENTATION week for the cadets, some of whom were away from home for the first time, as they learned skills in basic seamanship, patriotism, courage, and self-reliance. The NLCC is authorized by the Secretary of the Navy to wear Navy uniforms appropriately marked with the Cadet Corps insignia.
“As far as I’m concerned, it’s the best kept secret,” said Stoyanovich of the program. Orientation week was demanding at times, especially the physical training. Most mornings started with a run/walk at 5:45 a.m., except for one morning when the cadets had to get up at 5:30 a.m. for a longer jaunt.
On one of the days last week, the trainees were pleasantly surprised to finds out their physical training was a game of soccer. Stoyanovich remembers one of the cadets commenting that, ” ‘Why can’t we do this kind of training all the time?'” “The runs were fun,” said Kortney Stevens, 11, of Traverse City, who has a father in the Navy, “except for when they made us speed up and slow down. It was hard most of the time.”
WITH ONE afternoon of training left last Friday before graduating the next day, Stevens was excited to head home, because she missed her pets and parents. The cadets stayed in the barracks at the camp and each one had to carry his or her load with a one-hour watch through the night. Only once, early on, did the person on duty fall asleep. In stressing the importance of not nodding off, the cadets were told everyone died in a fire. “After that, we didn’t have any problems,” said Stoyanovich. There also was lots of marching, as members of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps, male and females between the ages of 13-17, drilled the younger group. “Get in step,” staff cadet petty officer Stephanie Cornw
CORNWELL DEMANDED the cadets not look around and was at her wit’s end when the unit didn’t stop in unison. “We want to make sure they get it down,” said Stoyanovich. The commanding officer was pleased with the work which was accomplished and looks forward to brining another group to Bethel Youth Camp next year. She said everyone enjoyed visiting the area. “It was ideal,” she said.
While the group is not associated with the cadets who marched in the Nautical Festival grand parade, they may consider staying an extra day next year to take part. It would bring more awareness to the program. More information is available on the national website. Visit www.seacadets.org.