Navy cruises take on a youthful look

Dick Benoit

Thursday, Dec. 21, 2000 | 10:04 a.m.

When the fleet of four vessels manned by 46 cadets and four adults weighed anchor at Echo Bay Marina Saturday morning, one fact was evident. The cadets were in charge.

While Marine Lt. Col. Ron Rogers and four adult volunteers stood by to encourage and support, it was the cadet officers and crew who were running the show. Their work, Rogers said, was a testament to the discipline and teamwork they learned in Junior ROTC training.

Four cadets in particular served to prove Rogers' point Saturday morning. Guillermo Fiero, Walter Burek, Christon Saquibal and Carrie Stevens, all seniors at Clark High School, assumed command of the four historic ships commissioned during traditional Navy ceremonies at dockside.

As commanding officers of their ship they would delegate tasks to other experienced cadets serving as the ship's executive, operations/navigation, and logistics/engineering officers.

Fiero, Burek and Saquibal each commanded an additional crew of eight boys respectively aboard the ships dubbed CHS (for Clark High School) Sea Wolf, CHS Compton and CHS Scorpion, while Stevens was responsible for her three officers and crew of six girls aboard the CHS Sea Devil.

According to Rogers, one of the cadets' tasks to prepare for this week's training cruise was to do Internet research on a historically significant U.S. Navy ship.

The historic ships would serve as namesakes for each of the four 54-foot houseboats on which the students sailed out of Echo Bay. They would also serve as object lessons in Naval history and tradition as each student would be quizzed on historical facts about the ship.

On Wednesday new crews, under the command of captains Harmony Rich, Matt Starr and George Ladkany, recommissioned the houseboats the CHS Jarrett, CHS Zepher and CHS Oscar Austin, respectively, and welcomed aboard new crews which earlier in the week had been undergoing fitness and military training at the Clark High School campus.

Wednesday's crews, which will be "at sea" through Saturday, include cadets from California high school JROTC programs in Redding, South Tahoe, Torrance and Fontana.

The Clark High cadets making up the officer contingent were responsible for determining the exact amount of food, water, fuel and other supplies that would be needed for the four days at sea.

While at sea this week, all of the cadets are learning about navigation using satellite global positioning system instruments on each of the ships. They will also stand regular watches, conduct man overboard and general quarters drills, as well as stand for personal and ship inspection each morning.

According to Rogers, the boat rental company always looks forward to the cadet cruises. The boats are always turned in cleaner and shinier than when checked out.

Each night the cadets beach their boats using traditional Navy "special sea and anchor detail" procedures before preparing their evening fire and meal and participating in feedback sessions about each day's training.

In brief:

Army Reserve Pfc. Adam Patonai and Army National Guard Pfc. Jared Thompson, both Green Valley High School, class of 2000 graduates, recently completed basic combat training at Fort Knox, Ky. They received instruction in drill and ceremonies, weapons, map reading, tactics, military courtesy, military justice, physical fitness and first aid.

Patonai is the son of Mike and Pam Patonai of Henderson, and Thompson is the son of Michael and stepson of Debra Thompson of Henderson.