Young people should be reminded that they have an alternative to student loan debt by serving their country and it sounds like this program fits the bill.

Cpl. Sarah Wolff-Diaz of the Marine Corps Base at Camp Pendleton reports.

College students experience Navy, Marine Corps training

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. —

More than 500 students from colleges across the U.S. participated in the Career Orientation and Training for Midshipmen-West 2013 here May 28-June 21.

The program provides training during each week that is specific to the varying types of job fields that will be available to them as Navy and Marine Corps officers.

“They get to experience everything the Marines and sailors do, whether it’s working on vehicles, running obstacle courses and having pugil stick matches or firing various weapon systems,” said Sgt. Jamie Rihn, a troop handler for Marine Week here.

The four-week course is broken down into Surface Week, Submarine Week, Aviation Week and Marine Week and is designed to bring these aspiring officers together from 61 Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps units.

“They solidify their choice of service, and figure out what (military occupation) specialty they might want to set their goals on and work toward as they finish up their college education,” said Col. Patrick Looney, professor of naval science at Virginia Military Institute and the officer in charge of the program.

Much of the training the midshipmen receive during each week is about face-to-face interaction and direct mentorship with senior enlisted and officers.

“They get to see how the troop handlers, senior enlisted and officers work,” said Rihn. “They also learn to be part of a team.”