Fort Schuyler Magazine Fall 2020

REGIMENT OF CADETS K assidy Gay, who studies Marine Engineering and is pursuing a Third Assistant U.S. Coast Guard Engineer’s License, also serves as Regimental Commander of the Regiment of Cadets. After witnessing the importance of leadership in the Regiment during her first year, Gay sought to become a leader and help her fellow cadets. She took on the role of Indoctrination Officer and became Chief Cadet Engineer during the Pier Side Maintenance andWatch program in summer 2020. When applications were being accepted for 1/c cadets, she applied and was accepted to the position of Regimental Commander, and now oversees the Regiment of Cadets and works with Regiment leadership.

Adjustments continually needed to be made to the INDOC experience by leadership to ensure each activity was safe for MUGs. “It was important to alternate times, coordinate activities and evolutions and consider how to best execute the plan to train MUGs.” Incoming MUGs were also required to adjust to a schedule that combined INDOC with their regular course learning, making it was necessary for MUGS to have time allocated to focus on semester coursework. “Every MUG class faces its own set of challenges. This class had to adhere to the mask wearing policy and other rules, and these are not the same challenges my MUG class faced.”

In planning for a new semester of Indoctrination for mariners under guidance (MUGs), much consideration was given to the ways in which INDOC 2020 would need to be implemented. This was no ordinary year and required a non-traditional approach. “There were many changes this year and one of those changes began with INDOC,” stated Gay. Rather than having MUGs participate in the traditional 10-day period, INDOC took place over three separate phases over a period of three weekends. “We in leadership understood that this was not the typical INDOC, but we wanted to model the INDOC and team building experience as close as possible.”

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