Each summer all of the 4,000 members of the Brigade of Midshipmen must do some sort of training, whether they're just joining USNA in Annapolis, cruising aboard yard patrol crafts or serving in the fleet. This training programs gives mids a chance to see what their options are so they can decide if they want to be surface warfare officers, submariners, Marines or pilots after graduation. After exploring the career opportunities for her in the Navy, she expects she'll want to be a pilot. Students from other colleges and universities with Reserve Officer Training Programs are also working with Mizell this summer. The first phase kicked off in the Philippines June 14 and ends in Singapore in September.
Few things are more unpredictable than the weather.
This can make the job of a aerographer one of toughest in the Navy. His mobile environment team from NAS Whidbey Island, Wash., is onboard Germantown for Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training. According to Aerographer Airman Will Downey, a Malad, Idaho native, it can be a very hectic process. We also launch weather balloons to observe what is occurring in the upper atmospheres which aids in a better forecast. Downey helps train the ship's quartermaster in observing meteorology and oceanography conditions then passes this information to regional forecast centers which use his data to predict the weather.