When he was unable to join the U.S. Navy because of his age, 15-year-old Kris Sullivan did the next best thing — he joined the Naval Sea Cadet Corps.

“I plan to enlist in the military when I turn 17 and being in the Sea Cadets will give me a head start,” Kris said.

The West Lauderdale High School sophomore learned about the program when he requested information about joining the Navy on the Internet.

“They mailed me information and an application, and I mailed it back. A few weeks later, a recruiter called me,” he said.

An interview was scheduled in January at the Naval Reserve Center in Bessemer, Ala. After meeting with officials, Kris was issued his enrollment papers. Kris attends drill weekend each month. After his first weekend in February, he said he was a little disappointed.

“It was all right,” he said. “We didn’t really do anything — just learned about the program and got our uniforms.”

But Kris’ attitude quickly changed by his next drill weekend.

“We went to the target range and shot M-16s and 9 millimeters, and we participated in team building activities,” he said.

“It’s been more than I expected. I thought it would be boring, a lot of classes. But we do a lot of exciting things — like rappelling, diving, foreign exchange — things like you see on TV and in movies.”

And do Sea Cadets get reprimanded like other military personnel?

“Yeah, we get yelled at,” Kris said with some reluctance.

The son of Jimmy and Dawn Sullivan, Kris plays football at West Lauderdale. He plans to continue with the Cadet program until he graduates from high school.

“I could get a four-year scholarship to a university,” he said. “And if I decide to enlist in the Navy, I will enlist as an E3, instead of an E1 — that’ll give me a good start in the military.”

Kris said he would like to become a Navy SEAL.

“They do special warfare and secret missions — I think I would enjoy doing something like that,” he said.

Next summer, Kris will attend Amphibious Operations Training in Georgia and SEAL Team Training in Florida.

“This program provides a lot of opportunities most kids my age probably wouldn’t have otherwise,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed it and I’m really looking forward to next summer.”

WHAT ARE SEA CADETS?

The Naval Sea Cadet Corps is for American youth ages 13 to 17 who want to learn about the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine. Sea Cadets are authorized by the Secretary of the Navy to wear Navy uniforms appropriately marked with the Sea Cadet Corps insignia.

The objectives of the Sea Cadet program are to introduce youth to Naval life, to develop in them a sense of pride, patriotism, courage and self-reliance, and to maintain an environment free of drugs and gangs.

Source: www.seacadets.org