Six Mayport Sea Cadets got a taste of shipboard life on board USS Farragut (DDG 99) while completing Cadet At Sea Training System (CAST) Session I on Nov. 18. This system, developed by Farragut’s Second Class Petty Officers Association, is conducted by the duty section and is designed to educate and familiarize sea cadets on life on board a U.S. navy ship. The syllabus includes chow on the mess deck, ship orientation from the bow to the fantail, fire fighting, various repair lockers and responsibilities, CCS and mess decks role in casualties, serving chow to the crew, food stowage, mess deck cleaning, CIC watch standing and standing one round with security.

Sea Cadets can hardly wait for session two of the four-session syllabus. This shows a lot of promise of becoming a permanent part of the overall Mayport sea cadet training syllabus. Mayport sea cadet leadership was highly impressed with the positive attitude and professionalism of ship’s company personnel. Cadets were warmly welcomed aboard by a former sea cadet, the Command Duty Officer and Damage Control Assistant, Lt. Tim Raines. Personnel participating in Session I were GSM1(SW) Chris Washington, IC1(SW) Jon Renteges, OS2(SW) Tarius Williams, OS2(SW) Kimberlee Orr, OS2(SW) Savanna Rogers, GM2(SW) Earnest Parler, GM2(SW) Jason Stokes, SN Casey Lima and SN Anthony McManus. They all did an outstanding job and were a credit to their ship. This says a lot for the leadership.