cadet blogs

Summer 2011

(The Cadet Experience, Class of 2014) Permanent link All Posts

This summer I spent my first phase aboard CGC Rush in Alaska. I only had about three and a half weeks from when we got on in Kodiak to leaving from Dutch Harbor, and then two and a half underway. It was definitely an experience like none I’ve ever had before. It seemed like the crew taught me something new every day. We helped with boat operations almost by lowering and raising the small boats for boardings. While we were in port, we were given opportunities to visit fisheries, Station Juneau, and D-17 Headquarters to help us learn more about the service we are a part of.

While we were in Juneau, each class was promoted as the seniors graduated and became Ensigns. Although we had been instructed to simply wear our red shields (the symbol of a third class) the first day we were on Rush, we were officially no longer fourth class. I got to participate in the D-17 change of command ceremony, and as I was changing my shoulder boards for the ceremony, I got that sense of stupid excitement. I mean, seriously, changing shoulder boards isn’t really all that big of an event, but seeing the addition of that itty bitty little slanted gold line felt so great.

The final culmination of the past year; I am no longer a fourth class cadet. The only thing left is to see my first swab in the class of 2015.

More about Kendra.

Posted by Leann Strickland at 2/15/2012 10:24 AM