Focus on Education You missed the JROTC Military Ball

On March 24th, I was invited to attend the Tinian High School Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps Stallion Battalion Fifth Annual Military Ball in the Tinian Dynasty Ballroom. Out of a school population of 154 students, 61% or 94 students are members of the JROTC program.

Then on April 7, I was invited to attend the Marianas High School JROTC Dolphin Battalion Tenth Annual Military Ball at the Diamond Hotel. From a school population of 1,852 students, 446 cadets are in the JROTC program or 24 % of the students.

Rota High School will be hosting their Military Ball on April 27. It will be an exciting ball also. Congratulations and have fun!

This was my first attendance at these military balls of the JROTC. Both balls were professionally planned. Attendance was high. The students or cadets, as they should be called, dressed in their military uniforms and looked quite spiffy. The food was good and adequate. The cadets put on their own entertainment. Some performed special dances, others played in the band and sang. I learned that the students planned and executed the evenings on their own.

The JROTC programs in the high schools have recently competed successfully against other schools nationwide. All three high schools, Rota, Tinian, and Saipan, obtained the highest rating — “Honor Unit With Distinction.” Competing against more than 1300 programs within the Cadet Command, only 10% received such distinction. A special salute to the three schools for that honor for being in the top 10%!

The same color guard drill teams also recently competed in a meet on Guam. Tinian High School placed first. Rota High School placed second and Marianas High School performed exceptionally well.

A special highlight of the evenings was the reading of the JROTC Seniors’ Biographies. Each graduating senior stood at attention as his biography was read with plans for the future. Almost all of them plan some type of post-secondary education. Some have opted to join the military for several years, while others have enrolled in colleges.

What I witnessed those two evenings were some of the finest students at their best. They not only looked like perfect ladies and gentlemen, but acted in the same manner. I saw leadership in action. All these young cadets carried themselves with poise.

We easily forget that over 95% of our students have great potential and are learning better than we give them credit. We tend to focus on the less than 5% that have difficulty adjusting. Many times we and the media mistakenly think that our Public School System is not teaching students to become educated and good citizens.

My suggestion is to attend any JROTC program at any of the three schools and watch these young cadets in action. Speak to any of the cadets and ask them why they joined and whether they enjoy the program. They will all respond with a positive reason. They realize the program is training them to become self-disciplined, respectful of themselves and of others. One student told me: “I want to better myself, and I understand the hard work that is required to succeed. I have learned that if I do a job well, I will get ahead.”

A special word of thanks is due to the instructors who are taking students who may be on the verge of dropping out, bored, or discipline problems, and turning them into fine outstanding students. The program tries to instill pride and discipline. It stresses leadership. Thank you, gentlemen.

I salute all of the young cadets. May God bless them and may they achieve the dreams they aspire to. Viva the JROTC!