JACKSONVILLE, Fla — A rigorous training is now complete for about 75 Navy ROTC midshipmen at Naval Station Mayport.
The training involves fire, water and a lot of endurance. Jacksonville University Navy ROTC Commanding Officer Captain Dan Gillen says these are base skills they'll need in the Navy.
"Two years from now, these midshipmen should all be commissioned to the United States Navy," Gillen said.
In the first scenario, the midshipmen must do damage control in a simulation of a ship filling up with water. In the second, they must fight a fire inside a structure. The next training is "man overboard" training where they must jump from a high structure into a pool and swim.
This is all after waking up at 3 a.m. to race through an obstacle course.
"We're watching their leadership skills, their resiliency," Gillen said. "Today is a crucible day. That's probably the toughest part is the resiliency, showing the endurance that they can do it all day."
Part of what keeps them going is the camaraderie. In a huddle, the groups ended their training by singing together. At least one group sang "Country Roads."
Gillen says next year they will have a few hundred midshipmen instead of 75, because they will not have to plan with COVID-19 restrictions. This training got canceled last year because of the pandemic.