PONTE VEDRA, Fla. –
Three current and former Nease NJROTC cadets recently crossed paths at the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT during their individual summer training programs.
Michaela Heinrich, Nease NJROTC class of 2016, is the Academy’s summer cadet battalion commander directing the intensive eight-week training program for the incoming class of more than 300 new cadets, or “swabs” as they are affectionately called in New London.
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Erin Sass, Nease NJROTC class of 2019, is undergoing a three-week orientation regimen along with 66 others as part of the Coast Guard Academy Scholars Program. Sass will then depart for one year to attend the U.S. Naval Academy Prep School in Newport, RI, before receiving a direct appointment to the Academy the following year.
Teagen Pettit, Nease NJROTC class of 2020, is attending the Coast Guard Academy Introduction Mission (AIM) one-week summer program where she is fully learning about academy life with hopes of receiving an appointment next year. AIM is regarded as the most realistic of the service academy summer orientation programs.
“I absolutely love it here,” said Heinrich. “I hope this is the beginning of a pipeline of Nease NJROTC cadets coming to the (Coast Guard) Academy.”
Sass says that she, “can’t imagine anything except becoming a Coast Guard officer.”
Pettit has two mentors to follow. “Both Michaela and Erin were battalion commanders at Nease NJROTC. They’ve proved that putting forth the hard work in high school can pay off down the road. I hope to receive an appointment next year as well.”
In addition to the Coast Guard Academy, Nease has six NJROTC graduates currently attending the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy and U.S. Military Academy at West Point.