American marines, sailors interact with woman NCC cadets in Visakhapatnam

Hyderabad: American sailors and marines were greeted by National Cadet Corps (NCC) students on the campus of Andhra University on Friday, part of a series of interactions between local students and youths and U.S. service members in Visakhapatnam for Tiger TRIUMPH military exercises this week.

Festivities included planting a tree, painting a US-India Together mural, and discussions with female cadets and the commanding officer of the USS Somerset, Captain Michel Brandt and the Commander of Troops of the Marine Expeditionary Unit, Lt. Colonel Lindsay Mathwick, both senior women officers in Tiger Triumph, on the importance of women's leadership and service in the navy.

Responding to queries from young NCC cadets, Commanding Officer Captain Michel Brandt of the USS Somerset, lead U.S. ship in Tiger Triumph 2024, said working on a ship is not impossible. “Yes, like any other job, sailors too face some challenges which includes non-stop journey for days together, staying away from home country and the family are other challenges. However, this job will give great satisfaction and we all enjoy in this profession.” 

Tiger Triumph is the largest bilateral military exercise between India and the United States, focused on readiness to deliver effective joint disaster assistance and humanitarian relief in the region, taking place between March 18 -30 off Vizag coast. 

The first Tiger Triumph took place in Visakhapatnam in 2019. Sailors of USS Somerset interacted with NCC cadets on several subjects and clarified these female students on the questions like do American female sailors also face stereotype issues, how to prepare to fulfil the dream of becoming a sailor, whether the sailors miss their families when they are away from them for months together. 

“I don’t care what other people think of my job. Rather I would focus on my work so that I would excel and enjoy the profession that I chose,” responded LTJG Meredith Engel to NCC cadet Meherunnisa who is studying her Marine Engineering.

Tiger Triumph is a U.S.-India tri-service amphibious exercise focused on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief readiness and interoperability. Tiger Triumph enables U.S. and Indian Armed forces to improve interoperability and bilateral, joint, and service readiness in the Indian Ocean region and beyond to better achieve mutual regional security objectives. 

Over 50 sailors both male and female also participated in planting saplings on the premises of Andhra University. All these sailors and NCC cadets together painted mural on the walls.

“I am surprised over the fact that Andhra University caters to thousands of students in this region and women’s leadership is given priority in the campus,” said Lt. Colonel Lindsay Mathwick of the Marine Expeditionary Unit.