Teary eyes, family lead teen to oath

PENSACOLA, Fla. - Sweaty palms, teary eyes, tradition, and two proud parents. Pensacola native and West Florida High School of Advanced Technology 2019 graduate Alexander Hamid Rashid Cole was administered the oath of enlistment inside the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) headquarters June 7. He is the son of NETC Force Master Chief Karim Cole and retired Marine Corps Master Sgt. Bridgette Cole. The oath was administered by Rear Adm. Kyle Cozad, NETC commander. “My main reason for joining the Navy was to become the best version of myself … (and) to serve in the best military in the world and protect the same freedoms that my parents have fought to protect,” the younger Cole said. He is to reports to the Naval Academy Preparatory School (NAPS) at Naval Station Newport, R.I., on July 23. At NAPS, Alexander will go through a 10-month course of instruction to prepare him for the challenges of life at the U.S. Naval Academy, where he plans to pursue a degree in aeronautical engineering and a member of the class of 2024. “My father used to work with the Blue Angels when he was a command master chief,” he said, where he was “able to hear and observe the behind-the-scenes view of such an elite group of pilots. I imagined being in a similar position in the future …” The teenager also received an ROTC scholarship to attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and had acceptance letters from five other colleges before choosing the Naval Academy. (Source: NETC 06/10/19) NETC HQ subordinate commands include the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (CNATT), which has learning centers at NAS Meridian (AZ: Maintenance Logistics) and Keesler AFB, Miss. (AG: Calibration)