On Saturday, November 5, 2011 the Navy Junior ROTC from Frederick Douglass High School located in Baltimore, MD visited the United States Coast Guard Training Center in Yorktown, Virginia, which is the Coast Guard’s premier Training Center.  The Cadets were accompanied by CWO Mitzie Robinson of Coast Guard Head Quarters Personnel Service Center.  The cadets were met by members of the Yorktown Chief’s Mess, DCCS James E. Jones; the Vice President of the Chief Petty Officers Association’s Yorktown Chapter, MKCS Dennis McDonnell, and YNC Katina Ballard. After a brief introduction the cadets watched the training center video, which detailed the Training Center’s mission, the diverse rating technical schools as well as advanced schools, and how the training is aligned and dedicated to the Coast Guard Missions.  The training center also hosts large number of international students from all over the world.  Afterwards, the members of the Chief’s Mess talked about their rating, past and present jobs, and how the Coast Guard has provided them with educational, personal, and professional opportunities.  The cadets asked a series of questions ranging from; what is a buoy, to, does the Coast Guard have any legal jobs?    One cadet would like to be a District Attorney and work in the legal department.  As we toured the Boat Forces and other training areas around the campus, the cadet continued to ask questions and wanted to know more. They were impressed with the training center and the many missions of the Coast Guard. The Chief’s Mess was honored to host the cadets, by giving them a tour of the training center it provided another viable opportunity for the cadets to reflect on as they near adulthood.  As many of us know and understand the United States Coast Guard is not publicized as much as the Department of Defense.  However, a door has been opened to them, filled with new and exciting things that just yesterday did not exist.