Sea cadets provide funeral honors for deceased veterans

  • Published
  • By Lt. j.g. Tom Blackshear
  • Point Divide Division
MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. --  The Point Divide Division's Funeral detail works on the third Thursday of each month. Point Divide is a U.S. Naval Sea Cadet unit located at Navy Operational Support Center Moreno Valley at March Air Reserve Base. 

The Veterans Administration (VA) has authorized the cadets to accompany prior service, reserve or active duty military service members in providing honors for deceased veterans. These cadets are now VA Volunteers and will accrue service hours through the VA system. 

Parading of the Colors, folding of the US Flag and occasionally bearing an urn, the cadets treat each service member with respect and dignity. The cadets are cross-trained so they can fill in for each other in the event a teammate doesn't show. 

The cadet rifle team provide rifle salutes with M-1 rifles. These are actual operating weapons, firing blanks, or salute rounds. 

Mr. Paul Espinosa, our team director, and Pipe Major, Mr. George Jones both served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Mr Espinosa presents the flag after the cadets have completed the flag-folding. Mr. Jones plays taps on trumpet and appropriate selections on bagpipe. 

This group of cadets was selected based on GPA and whether they could afford to miss a day of school per month. We have carefully trained 10 Sea Cadets and one Navy League Cadet. To follow the Navy regs, the Leaguer wears the Sea Cadet uniform, marked with Navy League Cadet insignia. 

This is a permanent team at Riverside National Cemetery. We will train more cadets and invite Sea Cadets from local units to train and become part of the group.

Sea cadets mission:
"...through organization and cooperation with the Department of the Navy, to encourage and aid American youth to develop, train them in seagoing skills, and to teach them patriotism, courage, self-reliance and kindred virtues." 
- NSCC Charter - 36 USC 1541 

Since 1958 the Naval Sea Cadet Corps has been committed to providing American youth with a drug and alcohol free environment to foster their leadership abilities, broaden their horizons through hands-on training and guide them to becoming mature young adults. 

Sea Cadet organizations exist in most of the maritime nations of the world. Recognizing the value of these organizations in educating youth in maritime matters, the Department of the Navy requested the Navy League of the United States to establish a similar program for American youth. The Navy League agreed to do so and formally established the Naval Sea Cadet Corps (NSCC) and Navy League Cadet Corps (NLCC) in 1958. Recognizing the importance and benefits of the NSCC, Congress on September 10, 1962 federally incorporated the Naval Sea Cadet Corps under Public Law 87-655 (36 USC 1541). 

Today, the NSCC has formed partnerships with organizations such as the Foundation for Teaching Economics and the Flying Midshipman Association to offer cadets broader opportunities in areas of leadership and aviation. The NSCC also took an active part in the creation of the International Sea Cadet Association (ISCA). The ISCA is an association of Sea Cadet Corps' from around the world, whose main objective is to facilitate exchanges of cadets between member countries.