Cadet Joyce attended Guerin Prep High School in River Grove, IL and will attend Lewis University to study Aviation Administration.
Tell us a little about yourself?
My time in the program goes back to my sophomore year in high school. I am born and raised in the City of Chicago and live near O'Hare Airport. Later this year I will graduate from Guerin Prep High School in River Grove, IL. The upcoming track and field season will be my third in Varsity sports. I played soccer and basketball in elementary school.
My most memorable training is boot camp. I was apprehensive at first to sign up for this training but knew it was necessary to advance my sea cadet career. So, the summer after sophomore year, I attended the 10-day exercise. When a recruit arrives at Great Lakes, the situation is tense. Once I was assigned a division, I felt nervous around so many strangers from all over the country.
A piece of advice my Navy veteran uncle gave me was to try to establish a friendship with your bunkmate. Luckily, we bonded well and motivated ourselves over the days. The training opportunities I was exposed to were invaluable. Eating and training alongside Navy recruits was a surreal experience. The RDCs pushed us hard to improve every day. I struggled the most with sleep deprivation. Many cadets started falling asleep at many training evolutions or rest periods. Staying hydrated helps with this dilemma.
I would recommend this training to all new members of our division. It may seem daunting, but I can assure that it is well worth it. The feeling of accomplishment at graduation is tremendous. Marching down the parade deck is an incredible moment to show your relatives that you not only stood up to the challenge but passed.
This training is the first phase of a Sea Cadet's growth in the program. Every time I watch television in my basement, I can't help but glance at my division photo. As we stood up straight with our cadet and navy staff, Division 003 resembled a determined team, one that I had the privilege of being a part of.
Where to now?
After graduating high school, I plan to attend Lewis University to study Aviation Administration. My goal is to acquire a job at United Airlines as either a dispatcher, crew scheduler, route planner, or something similar.
United offers an excellent employee travel program, so I hope to use it whenever possible. Sea Cadets taught me various life lessons, such as organization, independence, and time management. Not only were these skills used at boot camp but at every drill. Now, these lessons will be essential to my future as a Sea Cadet alumni.
Share a few things about you!
I speak Spanish and am currently learning Portuguese.
I have stepped foot on every continent except Antarctica and Africa.
I am an only child.
My birthday falls in the summer.
I am a military dependent because my father is retired from the Air Force Reserve.
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