CTF 76 Hosts NJROTC Cadets

[CFHSNJROTC]

CTF 76 Hosts NJROTC Cadets
Story Number: NNS060328-03
Release Date: 3/28/2006 12:40:00 PM


By Journalist 3rd Class Adam R. Cole, Task Force 76 Public Affairs

SASEBO, Japan (NNS) -- Members of Navy Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (NJROTC) of Commander, Fleet Activities Sasebo’s (CFAS) E. J. King High School were able to experience ship handling through Commander, Task Force (CTF) 76’s Ship Navigation Simulator, March 24.

Cadets were given instruction by Task Force 76 staff Boatswain, Chief Warrant Officer John E. Reilly, who instructed the students on how to properly navigate a ship and work as a team in various blue water scenarios.

“It was a lot of fun,” said Cadet Lt. Alex Cornel, a senior at E. J. King. “The experience gave me a good idea of what it’s like to navigate a Navy ship. It’s a lot of communication and working as a team.”

NJROTC cadets, six in all, were assigned bridge watches just like a Navy bridge team: officer of the deck (OOD), conning officer, navigator, helmsman and others. They also practiced communications with other vessels and shore facilities that populated the simulator’s environment.

“This experience is a great learning tool,” said retired U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Tom Heitstuman, lead naval science instructor at E. J. King and supervisor of E. J. King’s NJROTC program. “This simulator was able to give the kids a hands-on perspective of the things they have been learning about. It was great to see the teamwork and interest in navigating the ship.”

Reilly challenged the students with different scenarios throughout the morning, creating different lighting and weather conditions. He had the kids rotate after each scenario, so each student was able to experience every bridge position. Overall, Reilly was impressed with the students' ability to grasp the navigation concepts and work as a team to safely navigate the ship to Sasebo harbor.

“The cadets were real quick to grasp the fundamentals of driving a ship and impressed me with their ability to work together as a team,” said Reilly. “Overall, I’m very impressed with the quality and motivation of NJROTC cadets that we have today.”

Task Force 76 is the Navy's only forward-deployed amphibious force, headquartered in White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Japan, with an operating detachment in Sasebo, Japan.

For related news, visit the Commander, Amphibious Force, U.S. 7th Fleet Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/ctf76/.

http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=22884