NCSA - not leaving the base

[Ned]

Not really making an assumption, I know the percentages:

Caucasians:  40%
Hispanic:  60%
African:  70%
Asian:  do not know.  no one likes to report on Asians

do not know how to swim.

Truth. 

I went to the Philippines on IACE as a cadet.  My first time in a place with a warm ocean, which was amazing.  I could have spent my entire trip swimming in that incredibly warm ocean.  (As a Californian, we have a lot of beaches and ocean, but to my skinny body, it is is freakishly cold.)

But it turned out that one of my fellow cadets could not swim a lick.  He would have drowned if he was two feet from the side of a pool.

It was culture shock.  And a lesson I remember to this day when dealing with cadets.  No assumptions on water safety.

[Майор Хаткевич]

I never thought those levels are so high...

[Eclipse]

It was / is pretty shocking to me - swim safety / fun was a priority for our kids,
we had a pool for years and now they live at the local city pool, but for many
it's not even on the radar.

Even more so is how many adults can't swim - you'd think most would get around to it eventually,
but I guess not.

[PHall]

Not really making an assumption, I know the percentages:

Caucasians:  40%
Hispanic:  60%
African:  70%
Asian:  do not know.  no one likes to report on Asians

do not know how to swim.

Truth. 

I went to the Philippines on IACE as a cadet.  My first time in a place with a warm ocean, which was amazing.  I could have spent my entire trip swimming in that incredibly warm ocean.  (As a Californian, we have a lot of beaches and ocean, but to my skinny body, it is is freakishly cold.)

But it turned out that one of my fellow cadets could not swim a lick.  He would have drowned if he was two feet from the side of a pool.

It was culture shock.  And a lesson I remember to this day when dealing with cadets.  No assumptions on water safety.

Ned, that cold water along the California Coast is from the little gift we get from Asia, the Japanese Current.

[vento]

In California we have these guys to get a cadet who can't swim out of trouble 

[Eclipse]

^ The trouble with those guys is they are great once they arrive, but take forever because they always run in slow motion.

[stitchmom]

It was / is pretty shocking to me - swim safety / fun was a priority for our kids,
we had a pool for years and now they live at the local city pool, but for many
it's not even on the radar.

Even more so is how many adults can't swim - you'd think most would get around to it eventually,
but I guess not.

Unless the city or Y subsidizes swim lessons many lower income kids never learn. Swimming lessons are often more a middle class thing.

[Майор Хаткевич]

It was / is pretty shocking to me - swim safety / fun was a priority for our kids,
we had a pool for years and now they live at the local city pool, but for many
it's not even on the radar.

Even more so is how many adults can't swim - you'd think most would get around to it eventually,
but I guess not.

Unless the city or Y subsidizes swim lessons many lower income kids never learn. Swimming lessons are often more a middle class thing.

I was taught by my mom in the Baltic sea. She towed me out after a few lessons into deeper water than a 6/7 year old could stand, and let go. That's when I learned to swim.

[Eclipse]

+1 Why is everything these days "someone else's problem  or responsibility".

Take your kid to the park and teach them yourself if you can't afford the lessons.

[capmaj]

In California we have these guys to get a cadet who can't swim out of trouble 

And as soon as they see a mirror they stop.

[Майор Хаткевич]

+1 Why is everything these days "someone else's problem  or responsibility".

Take your kid to the park and teach them yourself if you can't afford the lessons.

Forgot to mention, we lived on less than $10/ day.

[A.Member]

I thought the reason you went to a NCSA was to attend the NCSA.
You wanna go to the beach? Go on vacation instead...

Fact... x1000

The OP seems to want a vacation.  That would be fun (I just got back from one).  That's not the point of a NCSA.  If you think it is, you need to reset your expectations.

[jeders]

It was / is pretty shocking to me - swim safety / fun was a priority for our kids,
we had a pool for years and now they live at the local city pool, but for many
it's not even on the radar.

Even more so is how many adults can't swim - you'd think most would get around to it eventually,
but I guess not.

Unless the city or Y subsidizes swim lessons many lower income kids never learn. Swimming lessons are often more a middle class thing.

Do what my parents/grand parents/great grand parents/you get the point did, find a body of water and jump/get thrown in. Costs $0.

[Spaceman3750]

It was / is pretty shocking to me - swim safety / fun was a priority for our kids,
we had a pool for years and now they live at the local city pool, but for many
it's not even on the radar.

Even more so is how many adults can't swim - you'd think most would get around to it eventually,
but I guess not.

Unless the city or Y subsidizes swim lessons many lower income kids never learn. Swimming lessons are often more a middle class thing.

Do what my parents/grand parents/great grand parents/you get the point did, find a body of water and jump/get thrown in. Costs $0.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqqC1uk8KJI

[LSThiker]

Do what my parents/grand parents/great grand parents/you get the point did, find a body of water and jump/get thrown in. Costs $0 CPS visit.

Fixed that cost for you for today's parental environment. 

[SarDragon]

When I was at Great Mistakes, back in 1969, we had a swim test - jump in from a platform 5' off the water, swim around the deep end (the equivalent of one regular up-and-back lap), and then tread water for the remainder of 5 minutes. We had about a 20% fail rate, depending on company demographics. Those who failed went to remedial swim training in the evening. I was one of those people. Even after that extra training, I still do not swim well.

Based on what I see today, I think the fail rate would generally be even higher. It probably isn't, because the enlistment inducements are entirely different now. The kids who were draft-induced enlistments back then probably wouldn't even be joining now.

[xray328]

Not asking for a vacation. What I'm asking for is if an NCSA is in a great location, why not incorporate that into the week? Our summer encampments in Springfield so the cadets visit Lincoln's Tomb. If the NCSA is in San Antonio, visit the Alamo.  Encourage them to embrace the cultural richness of the local area. It's a shame to fly them to a great location and not at least spend a little time to let them experience whatever gem that location has to offer. This program has an issue with retention. If you want to make it all about leadership and military correctness (and that's all) you're going to keep loosing cadets. If you want to keep them engaged make sure there's a little fun.  Or keep doing what your doing and let 85% of the cadets continue to leave in the first 18 months.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ned]

If you want to keep them engaged make sure there's a little fun.  Or keep doing what your doing and let 85% of the cadets continue to leave in the first 18 months.

Come on now, that's not quite fair.  The retention rate for cadets who attend NCSAs is actually very good.  Because they are fun and challenging.

But I certainly agree that we need to continue to work on our weekly meetings to improve the fun quotient.

Any ideas?

Ned Lee
National Cadet Program Manager

[CadetButterz]

I'm pretty sure Civil Engineering Academy goes to a local beach in Panama City.

[xray328]

My comment was a reply to this mentality that we should think of NCSA's as a "business trip" that's sole intention is to teach them something.  And if that means a week of PowerPoint presentations so be it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk