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Susana Falconi-Nonnenmacher
Oct 10, 07 - 1:17 PM |
Cadet Petty Officers Need more guidance
LT Woodward, This message is in response to the several e-mails you have forwarded to the Company Commanders assigned and their involvement with the Unit. To start with, PO3 Nonnenmacher (son) is trying to obtain the names of the cadets under his command. I asked him, why doesn't he have the names and contact information of each cadet under his command? My son stated that, he is incharged of the new cadets, that they don't listen to him, they have lots of questions about uniforms, and that he was told not to yell at them, even when they are acting up. Needless to say, this is not a good excuse for not having contact information, and that includes my son! 1. Each PO incharged should and must have an updated list of each cadet under his CC (company command). 2. Checking any changes and updating their cadets list should be a MUST DONE EVERY MONTH when they meet for drilling. 3. The LPO or Hayes should make sure that this task is performed with accuracy by each CC during drill time and each PO should provide him/them with a copy of his list for future reference or in the event of absentee of a CC next drill. There is a need for change of tactics and new ideas of aproach for the unit and the cadets in general. A good start could be the handling of task assigned to each CC. May be, they should have a time set up to work each day of drill so all assigments get handled responsibly and in a timely manner. The purpose for joining the Sea Cadets is to learn about the history of the Navy and/or any other military branch and what stands for. It is not a kindengarten program or a time for cadets to fool around with each other. Parents who don't feel comfortable with their children being reprimanded (when they are acting up) by an Officer and/or another cadet who already worked hard to get rank, should learn about the program and its military roots before enrollment. Mrs. Nonnenmacher |
Forrest Woodward
 Oct 10th, 2007 - 1:58 PM |
Re: Cadet Petty Officers Need more guidance
Hello Mrs Nonnenmacher,glad to have you join in. Your posting is an important one and it deserves some attention. You are absolutely right about changes and I have implemented a number of changes to help the cadet petty officers with their jobs in the unit. Some came about during Ryan's absence at training so he will have to get read in on these. Over the past weveral drills I addressed these issues at the staff meetings that I hold every Saturday evening after drill is dismissed (all CCs should attend). I have instituted a computer-based system that compiles all information on the cadets and staff to include their training, attendence, awards, name, email, address, phone numbers, etc. This information in the past has been contained in the "hard copy" personnel file, which is quite hard to update on a continueing basis. Each Saturday and Sunday mornings (now) I circulate a printed roster of cadets that has the home phone, cell phone and email and direct each cadet during role call to update their information. After I have input the updated information into the dBase I use, I compile a complete roster of that information and sned it to the staff and the Company Commanders (CCs) for their records. The problems I am experiencing with this is that some cadets arrive late, some cadets do not know their email and phone numbers and some have related that their parents will not allow them to divuldge that information, in which case I get it from their personnel files. The other problem is that some CCs or even staff miss the email with the roster attachment. I sent a roster out to all CCs and staff last night, which I just updated with all of the information I have available. I sent the same roster (minus last night's updates) out to CCs and staff last week also. I am ofter not aware if the materials I send out to the cadets are received or not as to date, try as I may, I get only one or two cadet that acknowledge receipt of the information. I hope getting parents involved like this will help. Another change I instituted is to assign an Officer/Instructor to the companies to oversee and assist the CCs. Their job is to give guidence to the CCs, make sure that all requirements are met and take care of any problems the CC or senior cadet(s) run into. They are called Division Officers (DivO). Instructor Porcella is the DivO assigned to your son's company and ANY problem he has with discipline should be referred immediately to him. The DivO will help (teach) the CC how to deal with the problem and step in if required. I only now am getting a sufficient number of adult instructors to impliment this plan, which I have wanted to initiate a long time ago but only now have sufficient numbers of adult volunteers to do so. Three drills ago, I began scheduling DivO/CC time first thing on Saturday morning (and Sunday if necessary). the purpose of this 30-45 minutes is for the DivO and CC to take attandence, account for lunch money, pass out the roster for updates, pass out training informaiton and deal wiht any other issues they need to. This time is generally broken down to individual companies. I have allotted plenty of time for them to get their house in order and I have delegated an adult instructor to help them get organized and maintain discilpline. Recognizing the high volume of influx into X-Ray company, I re-assigned (last night) another cadet petty office as the assistant CC to X-Ray to help PO Nonnenmacher (PO Candiotti) They both should be talking together now. I emailed the current roster broken out by company and the assignments to each CC (and ACC) and each staff member. after the realignment last night. Beyond this, I am at a loss for how to get the CCs to communicate among each other and the staff. I have begun to apply pressure to the DivOs to make things move but too much pressure and they will quit and I'll be back where I started. As for the power of the cadet petty officers and cadet company commanders: It is often difficult to draw the line on their authority. A matter of miss communication and a cadet takes it too far and a parent/cadet complains - well, other units have experienced very large problems (thankfully we have not). Once again, the assignment of Division Officers (adults) over the CCs to ensure they know how far to go and what NOT to do will help them learn and grow in this area. I am always up for something new that will make things run easier - some work - some don't. I will evaluate this system (detailed above) and adjust fire as necessary. Clearly, a major problem here is that the cadets are not doing what they have to do on their own so I have to resort to depending on the CCs to do more in terms of contacting their company members. As an example, I am setting up the trip to the submarine base and the fireing range. In numerous requests for an accounting (head count) I have heard from only two cadets and neither of them were CCs. No one said it would be easy. 
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