Hey Sergeant9299, just for a bite of info, the Sea Cadets don't actually get funded by the Navy. Congress allots a certain amount of money for annual trainings, but individual units have to fend for themselves. So that means that uniforms, facilities, and everything else they need is NOT provided for them by the Navy.

Sea Cadets, Or CAP

-Young Marines-Lets see im currently an E-4 in the USNSCC well we had a new INDOC group this drill and a YM/SSgt was an INDOC at the age of 13! First off he couldnt stand at attention for 2 freaking minutes and i had to tell him many times to quit spitting in formation! ''SPITTING IN FORMATION'' Holy hell hes a fking YM/SSgt that shows you what there program is like plus their ribbions are free candy.


-Civil Air Patrol-Respected, and looks good in uniform ive worked with alot of their members and am aquanted with their personell we have had some junior Airman swich to USNSCC beacuse of issues, but i say every rank is earned well.


-Sea Cadets-Encounterd a few problems, but i am a current E-4 in the program, highly reccomended if you like the sea and water if not go join CAP,

I dont know how the YM/ Votes are so high but im guessing youll have fun being bossed by a 11 yr old YM/SgtMaj -PO3, ChrisL-

Originally Posted by Sergeant9299

As a Battalion Commander for the Young Marines I can tell you this. No matter what the program is you should visit each one. Just like in the military all units are different depending on their leadership.
USAFAUX2004 commented about the local Young Marine unit which is definitely not a good thing. I would say you should visit the local Unit, becuase if it was that bad there may be some leadership opportunities for you there. The Uniforms will definitely be better in the JROTC, CAP, and Sea Cadets, because they are funded by their respective branches. The Young Marines funding comes from Fund Raising. Each organization will get you some rank in their respective organization and there are some allotments for other youth Groups. Just by being in any of the above mentioned groups you will receive E2 in any branch you join. For the Marine Corps you can only get E2 if you are a Sergeant in the Young Marines or an Eagle Scout.

On a Side Note: I would also like to invite USAFAUX2004 to visit my Unit of Young Marines and see if he could hang with my 12-13 year olds that are entirely led by by senior Young Marines that are 15 - 18 years old, because my local CAP won't even accept our challenges for a Drill Competition.

We are allowed a reccomendation for E-3 or an OCS Program in USNSCC in any branch other than the USMC Due to some reason.

like is Sea Cadets more organized? because that's the impression im getting from the websites and videos.

I was an AFJROTC cadet in high school, served 28 years in the Army National Guard and currently serve as a Naval Sea Cadet Corps (USNSCC) officer. From all I've seen in all that time I can tell you a few things about cadet programs.

* they are only as good as their leadership
I've seen units that are an embarrassment to the military and ones that are superior to the average military unit. Regardless the program, any individual unit is only as good as its leaders. That being said, the next level is the structure and enforcement of standards by the organization's command. As long as that command keeps check on their units' leaders to run their program correctly, it should be OK..."should" being the operative word.

* they all have the potential to give you a good first exposure to military life
Even a less than "good" cadet program can provide opportunities to military experiences that can educate you about what the military life has to offer. What we can sometimes forget is that we can get something good out of something less-than-good depending on how we deal with the situation. In other words, you get out of it what you put into it.

* pick one that is going to be worth your time
Obviously, not all cadet programs are created equal and they have different core focus (Army, Navy, etc) but they all give you that taste of military life that can help you to prepare for your military career. You may have a unit near home, but after joining learn that it is run poorly. You should then look around and try other units, even if the core focus is not what you'd prefer. The quality of the program is the key.

* something is better than nothing
If you have plans for a Navy career but only have a CAP unit nearby, join it. The core military experience is the same.

In summary, no cadet program is absolutely better than any other - it varies from unit to unit. You have to visit them, attend a drill as an observer and see what they do and how they do it to determine if its right for you.

Young Marines is a great program, I would go with the Young Marines for it is what I chose over Sea Cadets after bieng a Sea Cadet.

Originally Posted by Mayor

I was an AFJROTC cadet in high school, served 28 years in the Army National Guard and currently serve as a Naval Sea Cadet Corps (USNSCC) officer. From all I've seen in all that time I can tell you a few things about cadet programs.

* they are only as good as their leadership
I've seen units that are an embarrassment to the military and ones that are superior to the average military unit. Regardless the program, any individual unit is only as good as its leaders. That being said, the next level is the structure and enforcement of standards by the organization's command. As long as that command keeps check on their units' leaders to run their program correctly, it should be OK..."should" being the operative word.

* they all have the potential to give you a good first exposure to military life
Even a less than "good" cadet program can provide opportunities to military experiences that can educate you about what the military life has to offer. What we can sometimes forget is that we can get something good out of something less-than-good depending on how we deal with the situation. In other words, you get out of it what you put into it.

* pick one that is going to be worth your time
Obviously, not all cadet programs are created equal and they have different core focus (Army, Navy, etc) but they all give you that taste of military life that can help you to prepare for your military career. You may have a unit near home, but after joining learn that it is run poorly. You should then look around and try other units, even if the core focus is not what you'd prefer. The quality of the program is the key.

* something is better than nothing
If you have plans for a Navy career but only have a CAP unit nearby, join it. The core military experience is the same.

In summary, no cadet program is absolutely better than any other - it varies from unit to unit. You have to visit them, attend a drill as an observer and see what they do and how they do it to determine if its right for you.

This is by far the best answer anyone has offered.

My eldest son started off in the YM's @9, stayed on it until he could join the Navy sea league. After a few months into the leaguers, he decided to catch up again with his old YM's unit. Simply because the Drills and the discipline is so much tighter. The unit is very well run and they keep us parents in the loop with informative updates, something that can be overlooked and can lead to all sorts of problems.

This is not to say the Navy Sea/League programme is sh!t because the winter and summer evolutions held in a Marine base is simply awesome. It is as Mayor has said, it's all down to Unit Leadership and how well organized it is and how it functions.

Our local CAP unit is surprisingly enjoyable, it's only 2hrs long but boy!, do they cover a lot in those couple of hours every monday night, from military drills to instructional classes. And it's quality.

So, yes, he gives up a lot of his saturdays and mondays for the head starts he wants to achieve. Every one of them has their Pluses and some minor negatives but again, Leadership is key. If you wanna go down deeper, somethings are better than nothing.

I have been and active duty Air Force and Naval Officer. I was trained to fly by the US Navy at NAS Pensacola and NAS Whiting Field. I currently fly in C-17 aircraft for the Air Force Reserves. I attended an Army military academy in high school. My son was in the Sea Cadets, but has switched to the Civil Air Patrol (CAP).

CAP is a much larger and more robust organization then the Sea Cadets. They outnumber the Sea Cadets by the tens of thousands. JROTC programs (Army, Navy, and Air Force) outnumber the Sea Cadets by the hundreds of thousands.

As you might expect, that means the organization and support infrastructure is much more solid for CAP and the JROTC programs. The Sea Cadets might have fun during their summer trainings, but they do not emphasize the true traits of a military officer. Those are things such as integrity, unselfishness, anti-fraternization, tact, and respect for actual military rank.

The Sea Cadets wear their uniforms sloppy and do not march as well, relative to CAP cadets. I would think the Young Marines probably march better than Sea Cadets. Close order drill (marching) is vitally important for discipline later in life, and in the actual military. For example, when they say left face, and you turn right - that could mean you turn the wrong way in an Army convoy in Iraq and run directly into superior enemy forces. That is how Jessica Lynch's convoy got captured. So the lack of close order drill discipline of the Sea Cadets could establish bad habits for any future military person, no matter what branch you eventually wish to serve in. The very strict discipline that CAP imparts even during routine weekly drill is one of the reasons Lieutenant Colonel Malachowski attributes to her ability to qualify as a USAF Thunderbird pilot.

Furthermore, I have seen a Navy Sea Cadet adult officer disrespect and say four letter curse words at an actual high ranking military officer. Of course that Sea Cadet officer was almost beat up by a military person who witnessed the incident. That incident epitomizes Sea Cadet culture. Many Sea Cadet officers have never served in the military as officers. Yet they wear naval officer uniforms and all of a sudden think they are Admirals. They are bossy, lack tact, and are condescending even to actual military personnel. The Sea Cadets highly favor their friends, and you will see Commanding Officers favoring their own kids for awards. Fraternization is present in the Sea Cadet program.

All the sail boating and submarine building in the world will not replace the discipline, integrity, in-depth science education, and respect taught in CAP and JROTC programs. CAP officers actually have a real-world mission (Search and Rescue, similar to the land version of the Coast Guard). JROTC Commandants are typically retired military officers who have served our nation for 20 years. In contrast, Sea Cadet officers might be civilians who have never served a day in the military. The difference is night and day.

If you want to go to West Point, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, be a pilot/aviator, or become an astronaut, I highly recommend CAP or JROTC. For those aspiring to be a naval aviator, go Navy JROTC AND CAP (yes you can do both). If you want to be a ground infantry fighter or be an airborne paratrooper, go Young Marines or Army JROTC. My son is so much more refined and disciplined now that he is in CAP.

Don't let the Sea Cadets fool you into thinking they can prepare you to be a Navy SEAL. They may have Navy SEAL camp, but that will not prepare you for the real thing. I have met at least 5 Navy SEALS in person and have spoken to an Undersea Medical Officer (physican for the SEALs). They will drown you in training until you are almost unconscious, or until you actually pass out underwater. Then they will revive you. There is no training for that, you either have that in you when you are born, or you do not. Some little SEAL-wanna-be camp for a few weeks will most likely not make a difference.