Seaman Austin Pontel
NSWOC Candidate · Future Pilot · Service Academy Aspirant. Pontel didn't sign up for what was easy — he signed up for what would make him harder.
The Naval Special Warfare Orientation Course is an elite training program modeled after Navy SEAL preparation — one of the most demanding training opportunities available to any Sea Cadet.
Why NSWOC
Austin Pontel didn't pursue the Naval Special Warfare Orientation Course because it was easy. He pursued it because it was the hardest thing available — and he understood that hard was exactly what he needed. His time in the Sea Cadets had already taught him the difference between training for the test and training for the fight.
He'd developed a long-standing desire to serve, with aspirations toward both pilot training and service academy attendance. NSWOC wasn't a detour from that path — it was an accelerant.
Beyond Athletic Preparation
Pontel knew going in that success at NSWOC required more than physical capability. He acknowledged what many athletes don't: the psychological dimension is the decisive one. Staying composed under sustained pressure, making clear decisions when fatigued, maintaining discipline when every instinct says quit — these are mental skills, not physical ones.
The Sea Cadets gave him the foundation to develop both. Drill weekends are designed, in part, to build exactly this kind of mental toughness — the ability to continue performing when the conditions are uncomfortable.
Sea Cadet Lessons Carried Forward
Through his time at Cruiser Milwaukee, Pontel developed discipline, team cohesion, and resilience — the three qualities that NSWOC instructors are specifically looking for. They're not evaluating raw ability. They're evaluating character under pressure. That's exactly what the Sea Cadets train for.
Future Aspirations
Pontel's goals include pilot training and service in either the Air Force or Navy. He wants leadership roles that require him to remain calm in the most difficult situations — the kind of leader that people look to when everything else is going wrong. NSWOC is a step in that direction. So is every drill weekend he shows up for, squared away and ready to go.
"NSWOC represents an opportunity to evaluate whether military service aligns with my personal goals and capabilities — but I already know the answer."
Are You Ready for the Hardest Version?
NSWOC isn't for everyone. But Sea Cadets is — and it's where the journey begins.
Start Your Journey