Welcome to training season! Download this PDF and read the instructions from page 2 to page 6. If you need assistance, please reach out to LCDR at pnorton@seacadets.org.

Hair

Males

This policy applies to male members in uniform or when wearing civilian clothes in the performance of duty. Keep hair neat, clean and well groomed. Members may wear varying hairstyles if they meet the criteria of maximum length and bulk, tapered neck and sides, and correct wear of military headgear.

1. Taper hair above the ears and around the neck from the lower natural hairline upwards at least 3/4 inch and outward not greater than 3/4 inch to blend with hairstyle.
2. Hair must not be longer than four inches. It must not touch the ears, collar, extend below eyebrows when uncovered, show under front edge of headgear, or interfere with properly worn military headgear.
3. Bulk is the distance that the mass of hair protrudes from the scalp. It must not exceed two inches.
4. Hair coloring must look natural and complement the individual. Do not wear faddish styles or outrageous multicolored hair.
5. The NSCC recognizes the unique quality and texture of curled, waved, and straight hair. Where the 3/4 inch taper at the back of the neck is not practicable, cut for a graduated appearance. This may combine the taper with a line at the back of the neck.
6. Members may cut, shave, or clip one natural, narrow, fore and aft part.
7. Do not wear plaited or braided hair in uniform or in a duty status.

If worn, keep sideburns neatly trimmed and tailored in the same manner as the haircut. Sideburns shall not extend below a point level with the middle of the ear, shall be of even width and shall end with a clean-shaven horizontal line. Do not wear flared sideburns, "muttonchops", "ship's captain", or similar styles.

Females

This policy applies to female members in uniform or when wearing civilian clothes in the performance of duty. Hairstyles must present a professional, balanced appearance. Do not wear styles with shaved portions of the scalp (other than the neckline), those with designs cut, braided, or parted into the hair, or those dyed using unnatural colors.

1. Hairstyles must not interfere with the proper wearing of headgear, protective masks or equipment. Headgear must fit snugly and comfortably around the largest part of the head without distortion or excessive gaps. Hair must not show from under the front edge of the headgear.
2. Except when wearing a bun or ponytail hairstyle, hair must not protrude from the opening in the back of the ball cap except when wearing a bun or ponytail hairstyle. For example when wearing the recruit ball cap, or the NSCC ball cap when authorized by the unit Commanding Officer or COTC.
3. Do not wear lopsided or extremely asymmetrical hairstyles. Angled hairstyles have no more than a 1-1/2 inch difference between the front and the back length of hair.
4. Members may wear layered hairstyles that present a smooth and graduated appearance. Hair length, when in uniform, may touch, but not fall below a horizontal line level with the lower edge of the back of the collar. With jumper uniforms, hair may extend a maximum of 1-1/2 inches below the top of the jumper collar.
5. Keep long hair, including braids, neatly fastened, pinned, or secured to the head. Bangs must not extend below the eyebrows. Do not wear widely spaced or protruding braids. Do not wear pigtails.
6. Single braid, French braid, or a single ponytail may be worn in NWU, khaki service uniform or while in PT uniform.
7. Except for documented medical conditions, hair length must prevent the scalp from being readily visible. Minus the bun, hair bulk as measured from the scalp must not exceed 2 inches.
8. The bulk of the bun must not exceed 3 inches when measured from the scalp. Bun diameter must not extend beyond the width of the back of the head.
9. Fit and quality of wigs, hairpieces and extensions must present a natural appearance and conform to grooming standards. Tints and highlights must be natural and similar to the current base color.

Other

Cosmetics, Female (Sea Cadets Uniform Manual 2205)

Female members may wear cosmetics. Apply in good taste. Use colors that blend with natural skin tone and enhance natural features. Do not wear exaggerated or faddish cosmetic styles in uniform or on duty. Take care to avoid an artificial appearance. Lipstick colors must be conservative and complement the individual. Do not wear long false eyelashes when in uniform.

Fingernails, Male (Sea Cadets Uniform Manual 2206.7)

Keep nails clean and closely trimmed so they do not extend past fingertips.

Fingernails, Female (Sea Cadets Uniform Manual 2206.2)

Keep nails clean and trimmed or manicured so their length does not exceed ¼ inch measured from the fingertip. Tips may be round, oval, or square. Members may wear conservative, inconspicuous nail polish colors that complement a professional appearance.

If you have any questions, refer to Chapter 2 of the Sea Cadets Uniform Manual (PDF on Supply page).

NSCTNG 001 Request for Training Authority is used to indicate the desired training, signify that the cadet and parents understand the medical and standards of conduct clauses, and provide information on medical insurance. One is needed for each training evolution.

NSCTNG 001 pages 3-4 Report of Medical History should be signed and dated no earlier than 30 days prior to the beginning of training.

NSCTNG 001 pages 5-6 Report of Medical Exam should be filled out once a year by a physician. The nature of the exam is similar to that of a school sports medical examination.

NSCTNG 001 pages 7-8 Report of Medical History Supplemental is a required form that should only be filled out if the cadet will be reporting to training with medication, prescribed or non-prescribed.

COVID Waiver Youth is used to acknowledge and waive liability on matters relating to COVID-19 on behalf of minor participants.

COVID Waiver Adult is used to acknowledge and waive liability on matters relating to COVID-19 for adult participants.

Cadets who wish to report to training successfully must have a complete service record with all required forms complete and up-to-date. Reach out to your chain of command if there are any questions. Not sure who to reach out to? Check the Chain of Command page.

Study your knowledge

A lot of RT will be memorizing knowledge from the recruit manual. Here are some of the top things you will want to memorize before going to RT to make the training go a little easier for you.

• General Orders
• "Anchors Aweigh"
• Sailor's Creed
• Sea Cadet Oath
• Phonetic Alphabet

General Orders

The Eleven General Orders of a Sentry is a list of fundamental actions that military members on watch need to follow. Here they are:

1. To take charge of this post and all government property in view.
2. To walk my post in a military manner, keeping always on the alert, and observing everything that takes place within sight or hearing.
3. To report all violations of orders I am instructed to enforce.
4. To repeat all calls from posts more distant from the guard house than my own.
5. To quit my post only when properly relieved.
6. To receive, obey, and pass on to the sentry who relieves me all orders from the Commanding Officer, Command Duty Officer, Officer of the Deck, and Officers and Petty Officers of the Watch only.
7. To talk to no one except in the line of duty.
8. To give the alarm in case of fire or disorder.
9. To call the Officer of the Deck in any case not covered by instructions.
10. To salute all officers and colors and standards not cased.
11. To be especially watchful at night and during the time for challenging, to challenge all persons on or near my post, and to allow no one to pass without proper authority.

Seem like a lot? Just repeat them out loud until you have them fixed in your memory! Here are some memorization tips:

1. One. The CO is number one, and she takes charge.
2. Two. You have two legs, two eyes, and two ears, for walking, sight, and hearing.
3. Three. "Three strikes (violations) and you're out."
4. Four. Golf players call and repeat “FORE” to alert other players of a possible ball strike in the head.
5. Five. The American work day ends at five, so workers quit their posts at five.
6. Six. The six people involved in this order are the sentry who relieves me, Commanding Officer, Command Duty Officer, Officer of the Deck, Officers, and Petty Officers of the Watch.
7. Seven. Seven Deadly Sins: talk to no one.
8. Eight. The severest grade of fire is an eight-alarm fire.
9. Nine. In German, nein means no, or cases not covered.
10. Ten. Everyone salutes an O-10 admiral.
11. Eleven. Be especially watchful at eleven P.M.
Anchors Aweigh

Anchors Aweigh

"Anchors Aweigh" is the fight song of the United States Naval Academy. Don't just memorize the lyrics—memorize the tune, too. Find the song online and sing along until you've memorized it.

Stand Navy out to sea,
Fight our battle cry;
We'll never change our course,
So vicious foe steer shy-y-y-y.
Roll out the TNT,
Anchors Aweigh.
Sail on to victory
And sink their bones to Davy Jones, hooray!

Anchors Aweigh, my boys,
Anchors Aweigh.
Farewell to foreign shores,
We sail at break of day-ay-ay-ay.
Through our last night ashore,
Drink to the foam,
Until we meet once more.
Here's wishing you a happy voyage home.

Blue of the mighty deep:
Gold of God's great sun.
Let these our colors be
Till all of time be done, done, done, done.
On seven seas we learn
Navy's stern call:
Faith, courage, service true,
With honor, over honor, over all.

Sailor's Creed

A code of ethics of the United States Navy, the Sailor's Creed is an important part of the Navy and the Naval Sea Cadet Corps. Understand and memorize the verses before heading off to RT.

I am a United States Sailor.
I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America and I will obey the orders of those appointed over me.
I represent the fighting spirit of the Navy and those who have gone before me to defend freedom and democracy around the world.
I proudly serve my country's Navy combat team with Honor, Courage and Commitment.
I am committed to excellence and the fair treatment of all.

Sea Cadet Oath

The Sea Cadet Oath consists of the principles that every member of the Corps is expected to follow.

I promise to serve faithfully, honor our flag, abide by Naval Sea Cadet Corps regulations, carry out the orders of the officers appointed over me, and so conduct myself as to be a credit to myself, my unit, the Naval Sea Cadet Corps, the Navy, the Coast Guard, and my country.

Phonetic Alphabet

Many letters sound alike, especially over the radio. To avoid confusion during verbal communication, the phonetic alphabet was developed, attributing one word to each of the 26 letters of the English alphabet. Study this commonly used system used in aviation, the military, the Sea Cadets, and other areas.

A - Alpha
B - Bravo
C - Charlie
D - Delta
E - Echo
F - Foxtrot
G - Golf
H - Hotel
I - India
J - Juliet
K - Kilo
L - Lima
M - Mike
N - November
O - Oscar
P - Papa
Q - Quebec
R - Romeo
S - Sierra
T - Tango
U - Uniform
V - Victor
W - Whiskey
X - X-ray
Y - Yankee
Z - Zulu

Requesting an Absence

If you will be fully or partially absent during a drill period, it is your responsibility to inform your chain of command ahead of time.

1. Go to the Chain of Command page.
2. Look for your name on the squad list, and identify your squad leader (if you are a league cadet, look for your LPO/ALPO).
3. Contact that cadet with when you will be absent and a reason for the absence.
4. Do not directly contact an officer to report an absence.

At drill

There might be items you want to take care of at drill, like getting a missing uniform item or taking an exam. Your responsibility is to relay that up your chain of command as soon as possible Saturday morning. Direct your requests or inquiries to your squad leader or LPO/ALPO and follow-up over the course of the drill period if necessary.

The mission of the sea cadets is to build leaders of character, and an indicator of good leadership is good communication. Your role as a cadet and student will require that you understand how to craft a formal message in the form of an email. Learn how to write an email to an officer today.

1. Is it necessary?

Before you start writing an email to an officer, ask yourself if the email you're about to write:

• can be answered by Google;
• can be answered by information on Homeport/Polaris/Quarterdeck;
• can be answered by greyghostdivision.org;
• can be answered by your shipmates on Discord; or
• can be answered by your squad leader/another staff cadet.

If the answer is yes, stop! It means you find the answer without the help of an officer. In general, send an email to an officer when one of the following applies: you are asking for a letter of recommendation; you are following up on a private matter; you are asking about something urgent; or you are informing an officer about something you believe should be kept in confidence.

2. Recipient list and subject

Enter the email address of the officer you intend to address in the "To" box. Then, enter the email addresses of one other officer and one of your parents in the "CC" box. Not sure what the email address of your officer is? Check the Chain of Command page.

The subject line is an important part of an email; people get lots of email, so it's important to be clear and concise. Come up with a 2-5 word topic that summarizes your email. If you're asking for a letter of recommendation, call it "Letter of Recommendation Request." If you're confirming payment for your annual enrollment, call it "Annual Enrollment Payment Confirmation." Finally, add your rank and last name to the beginning of the subject line. Here's an example:

SN Lee Annual Enrollment Payment Confirmation

3. Salutation

The first line of your email greets the recipient. First impressions matter! Either use a time-of-day greeting, "Dear," or directly address the officer. Address the recipient by rank and last name.

"Good morning Lieutenant Peach," "Dear XO Fullerton," "INST Chen,"

These are all acceptable forms of a salutation. Use them to demonstrate your courtesies.

"Hey CO," "What's up Sir," "yo,"

These are unacceptable forms of a salutation. Do not use them in emails to officers.

4. Body

Introduce your rank, name, and your billet, if applicable. Your email address might not be as recognizable as you think. Get to the precise purpose(s) of your message as quickly as possible. Don't hesitate writing something like "I am writing to..." Just like the essays in English class, split up your email into paragraphs. In each paragraph, have a topic sentence, background/context, what you would like the officer to do, and wrap up. Write in complete sentences; email writing is not texting. Avoid contractions. If you would not turn in your email as a formal English assignment, do not send the email. Proofread your email to make sure there are no grammar or spelling errors.

5. Closing

In accordance with military courtesies, sign off your email using "very respectfully," followed by your rank and full name. This is the appropriate closing when writing to seniors. On the other hand, "respectfully" is used when addressing juniors.

Very respectfully,
PO3 James Gatz

When writing to an officer of a different unit, use this format instead:

Very respectfully, James Gatz
PO3 USNSCC
Grey Ghost Division

6. Following up

If an officer hasn't responded for a week (or less, depending on the urgency of your message), it is reasonable to follow up. Chances are, the email got buried in the recipient's inbox. Staying in the same email chain, respectfully ask if the officer saw your message, and make sure to "Reply all" because of the "Two-Deep Policy."

Congratulations! You now know how to craft an email in the sea cadets. You will find that many of these skills are translatable into school, too. Ask your chain of command if you have any questions. Have fun email writing!

Asking a question

Both at school and at sea cadets, asking questions is essential to your productive learning and shows the instructor that you care about the material being taught. Raise your right hand when you have a question and, when called on, rise from your seat and ask the question.

Talking

During class, unless you are instructed to discuss something in small groups, you are not permitted to speak. Don't whisper or have side conversations with your shipmates even if the instructor is not actively delivering content.

Using the head

Do not ask your squad leader, LPO, or chief to use the head during class. Instead, raise your hand and ask for permission to exit from the instructor. They will dismiss you to leave with a battle buddy.

Falling asleep

It is normal to feel tired after a long day. If you feel like you are extremely tired and are about to fall asleep during class, quietly leave your seat and stand at the back of the room. Standing is a good way to stay awake.

Participation

Participation is key to learning. When the instructor asks for volunteers, you are encouraged to raise your hand. The goal of any class is to teach, and you will find that better realized if you put in more to the class.