Young kids enter Navy Sea Cadet Camp for week
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BUFFALO, N.Y. -- It's not your typical summer camp. 115 young men and women are taking part in a week long Naval Sea Cadet training camp on Buffalo's waterfront.
Lt. Commander Kenneth Hall said, "A lot of them come to us thinking they might want a career in the Navy or Coast Guard and this gives them a little taste to see if that's really for them or not."
The kids are 10 to 18 years old, and are from as far away as California and Florida. For the next week they'll be going through boot camp.
It's the 8th year the sea cadets training has taken place on Buffalo's waterfront. It takes place aboard the very that call Canalside home.
16-year old Timothy Gesel is a repeat attendee to the camp. It's the leadership skills he learns that keeps him coming back.
"it's all about taking responsibility for yourself," Gesel said. "It's about getting through the week."
The cadets can take part in several training groups such as culinary, photojournalism, and medical. They'll do about everything a real sailor does including living in the tight confines of a navy warship.
"Just like World War II and Korean War sailors slept, very tight together," Lt. Commander Hall said. "If they're not friends when they start they are by the end because they live in that close proximity."
If all goes to plan, the young cadets will be graduating this weekend.