Home

Contact Us

Photos

POD

Drill Calendar

Summer Training

Links

Terms of Use

About Us

Arkansas Division is a small but very active unit of the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps . The Sea Cadet program offers young American men and women (ages 11 to 17) the opportunity to work with and learn from members of the United States Navy and other sea services. Arkansas Division works particularly closely with our local Northern California Coast Guard units at our regular drills. Our cadets also experience other branches of the military at their two-week Summer Trainings and on overnight drills.

Arkansas Division aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Hawksbill, January 2007

Civic Ceremonies

Arkansas Division participates in a wide variety of civic ceremonies throughout the year. Most importantly through our sponsor, the local chapter of the Royal Canadian Legion, we honor those who have served their countries by assisting in Veteran's and Memorial Day ceremonies and by providing a color guard for the extraordinarily moving Remembrance Day Celebration held each year in Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.

The Arkansas Division color guard also serves in military retirement ceremonies and other events. If you are interested in having the color participate in a ceremony in the San Francisco Bay area, please contact our Operations Officer for more information.

Drills and Trainings

Arkansas Division typically drills two Saturdays a month during the school year. Our regular drill location is at the Coast Guard station on beautiful Yerba Buena Island in the San Francisco Bay, where we have classroom activities, train with Coast Guard personnel, and practice things like marching and color guard. In addition we often get away for other activities with a military or maritime theme. We also try to do one or two overnight drills each year to participate in activities farther afield, such as the Mud Run at the Lemoore Naval Air Station in central California. Cadets are required to maintain a 75% attendance record for regular drills.

In addition to our regular drills, we try to make one longer trip each year. In 2006, for example, the unit went to Hawaii to attend the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), the world's largest international naval exercise. And we travelled to Canada in the summer of 2007 for Canada Day. Finally, our cadets attend even longer summer trainings offered by the U.S. Naval Sea Cadets throught the country and abroad.

Our Cadets

Our cadets are a diverse group of young men and women who share an interest in the sea services and a desire to work together. Younger cadets (ages 11 to 13) enter as Navy Leaguers, and their coursework and training is specifically designed for their age group. Older cadets (ages 13 to 17) do regular naval coursework and have broader training opportunities. All cadets wear a modified version of the United States Naval uniform.

As they rise in the program, cadets gain positions of leadership and responsibility. Completing coursework and attending trainings allows them to earn these positions in a system directly modeled on that of the U.S. Navy. They begin as Seaman Recruits and with hard work can rise to the level of Chief Petty Officer.

Cadets learn the values of committment, honor, patriotism, and pride in their accomplishments. They also make fast friends that can last a lifetime. If you think you are interested in joining Arkansas Division, please contact our Recruiting Officer.