Every year, Carolina Forest High School hosts the Annual Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) Inspection. This event took place Monday, December,11 and parents, family, students, and friends were encouraged to join us as we watched their accomplishments come to life. The JROTC prepares high school students for leadership roles and gives them an opportunity to see what the different branches offer.
The NJROTC at CFHS has a variety of different teams. They have Academic Cyber Patriots, Drone, Drill, Rifle, Orienteering, and Sea Porch. Competitions are called “meets.”
Ashrea Keyes, a junior, commented, “I am currently in a drill team and do arm exhibition. I am also a c/PO1 officer.”
The three main things that consist during this inspection are its uniform inspection, drill performance and pass-in-review.The inspections also makes sure that the Carolina Forest Unit is being run properly by its staff, platoon commanders, and officers.
Captain Jerry Hupp is the area seven manager, and he inspected each cadet from all three platoons to make sure that all platoon commanders are instructing their platoons correctly. Everyone’s uniforms were updated with ribbon racks, correct measurements, neat appearances and military bearing. Once they were inspected, cadets on the drill team performed. After this, the pass-in-review took place. Captain Hupp watched as the Platoon Commanders lead their platoons through a short drill performance to make sure it meets the NJROTC standards.
Captain Kevin Boyle stated, “Students earn their ranks in NJROTC. The first five promotions are earned through various combinations of written and oral academic tests and practical performances of drill and teamwork exercises. Each cadet has their own record throughout their time in NJROTC and we track their promotions each week. The Senior Cadets who attain Officer of Chief Petty Officer Ranks are picked by the instructors to fill their positions. There are many more applicants than there are leadership positions, so these staff leadership positions are highly competitive.”
Boyle added, “The amount of hours that they volunteer to help run this program is astonishing. They stay after school, come in early, volunteer to come in on weekends and over breaks to prepare for this inspection and NJROTC team event and community service opportunities. They are the most amazing group of students that I have ever been exposed to.”
With all of this, everyone here at CFHS is so proud of all the accomplishments the NJROTC had this semester and will continue to have. Thanks to Captain Boyle and Chief Thompson for all the hard work put into this program.
Picture Credit: J. Gheraldi
