By Amanda Estes

Staff Writer

It’s not a typical outfit for a 12-year-old girl, but Alexandrea
McDonagh wears her dress blues with pride. She twists her arm to show
off the U.S. Navy League Cadet Corps (NLCC) insignia, with its golden
anchor, that she wears on the sleeve of her crisp white shirt.

McDonagh, a sixth-grader at Loranger Middle School in Old Orchard
Beach, is a Navy League Cadet, the junior cadet program for the Naval
Sea Cadet Corps (NSCC). As a cadet, McDonagh is authorized by the
Secretary of the Navy to wear Navy enlisted uniforms. It’s an honor she
shares with the 21 league and sea cadets, ages 11 to 17, in the South
Portland-based Coast Guard Group Portland Division and Training Ship
NICHOLAS units.

“I wanted to be in the Navy,” McDonagh said of her decision to join the
group, seven months ago. “I always liked it. I thought it was really
cool.”

Sea cadets, ages 13 to 17, learn seamanship, military drill and
leadership. Although cadets are not required to enter military service,
depending on their achieved ranking, they may be eligible to enter the
armed forces at an advanced pay grade or to receive scholarships to a
four-year university.

League cadets learn nautical skills, water safety, swimming, first aid
and firefighting. The cadets also learn about military drill,
discipline, naval history and participate in community activities such
as marching in the recent South Portland Veterans Day parade

During the school year, cadets typically meet one night a week or one
weekend a month for “drill” meetings. During drill weekends, the South
Portland unit bunks at the American Legion Post No. 35, located on
Broadway. Depending on the plan of the day, cadets might go to the
community center for swim qualifications, march to the U.S. Coast Guard
base on High Street for damage control training, or strap on air packs
with the South Portland Fire Department, said the unit’s Commanding
Officer Ian Cummings.

It’s hard work, but McDonagh said everyone helps each other out. If a
cadet is struggling with the swim qualifications, a senior cadet will
swim along side him or her for support, McDonagh said.

While the two groups are learning different skills, Cummings said
training the sea and league cadets together has its advantages. The sea
cadets “will line them right up,” but also serve as mentors to the
younger group, Cummings said.

A firefighter in Gorham for more than 20 years, Cummings became
involved with the cadet program when his son joined the NLCC at age 12.
He will turn 17 next month and will also be advancing from a petty
officer second class to a petty officer first class. Cummings said his
son is already talking to U.S. Coast Guard recruiters about joining the
reserves and he plans to attend Maine Maritime Academy for small vessel
operation.

 “Anybody that has a vision of what they want to do in the future
– this is the program that will get them there,” Cummings said.

Cummings and his wife originally joined the program as instructors, but
then former Commanding Officer Roger Sabourin said he was looking for
someone to take over the program. At that point, “everybody pointed at
me,” Cummings said.

Now husband and wife run the program with Navy Executive Officer Ellic
Mottram. In December, however, Mottram will be leaving the group for a
tugboat job. Cummings is currently seeking four adult volunteers and in
particular a female adult volunteer – no military experience required –
to supervise the female cadets during the weekend drills.

“I have nine girls and if I don’t have the female, I end up having to send the girls packing,” Cummings said.

Because the unit is required to keep records on all of the cadets, he
added, “The hope is to have somebody who wants to step up and take
over. Someone who can really work circles around the administration
piece.”

Cummings said the unit is also welcoming new recruits. Besides age
requirements, cadets must be a U.S. citizen, in good health and able to
pass a physical examination, a full-time student in good academic
standing, single and of good moral character, according to the NSCC
requirements.

Cummings said when he hears positive comments from the American Legion
members or hears about how well the cadets performed in the Veterans
Day parade, “it’s payback,” not just for the effort he puts into their
instruction, but for their dedication to the program.

“It’s their unit, not mine,” he said. “To me, it’s watching these kids
progress, get the discipline, have the structure and treat adults with
respect. I’m proud of them.”

Damien McDonagh said he had his doubts about his daughter following
through with the program, but he noticed a difference in her after her
very first weekend with the cadets.

“I’ve noticed she’s been a lot more disciplined,” he said. “No offense
to her, she is a bit of a slob in her bedroom, but since she started
the program, I’ve noticed a big difference.”

Regarding her future plans, Alexander McDonagh said she’s not sure what
college she wants to attend. What she does know is she wants to service
planes, fly planes, be on a ship with planes – in short be near planes.
She currently has her sights set on civil air patrol, which is most
commonly associated with search and rescue missions. McDonagh’s passion
for aviation came at a young age. Growing up she and her siblings 
– Spencer, nearly 8, and Delani, 9 – visited their mother at the
Portland International Jetport, where she worked for Northeast Air, a
commercial and private aviation service and maintenance company.
McDonagh said she has developed a particular fondness for stealth
aircraft, which are capable of evading enemy radar.

Both Spencer and Delani McDonagh will follow in their sister’s footsteps and join the cadets when they’re older.

For more information about volunteering with the South Portland unit or
for more information about the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps, visit
www.usnsccsp.org.