In addition, anyone who desires to become a licensed deck or engineering officer in the United States Merchant Marine must participate in a Merchant Marine National Service Cadet Corps as prescribed by Title 46 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations. Through participation in the Corps, each cadet will develop positive traits such as punctuality, ability to follow orders, initiative, attention to detail, teamwork, time management, patience, responsibility, leadership, and professionalism. These traits require that new cadets develop self-discipline, and will enable every graduate to excel both at sea and in any shoreside job. Work parties, day work, watches, and special tasks will all be taken on by a unified division. Members of a division need to be able to rely upon each other to get a job done.
Expectations Being a cadet is much more than being a college student.
You will be asked to do more, you will be held to higher standards of personal conduct and professionalism, and you will be given more responsibility than any other college student will in California. Each cadet is expected to develop his or her leadership skills and learn how to organize and direct people in work projects. By the time a cadet becomes a senior, he or she should be able to take charge of and actual bridge or engine room watch, teach classes on seamanship, navigation or basic engineering, and train each new class of cadets on the fundamentals of becoming a Merchant Marine Officer. In addition, each cadet shall understand what it means to be responsible.