CNMI JROTC tops Guam annual drill competition

The CNMI JROTC marched their way to victory, coming away with two first place finishes and a runner-up plum in the Guam Annual Drill Competition event held last Saturday, March 18, at the Simon Sanchez High School Campus on Guam.

Out of a total of 12 Rifle Color Guard Teams competing for the top honors, Marianas High School’s Dolphin Battalion took the first place trophy, while Tinian High School’s Stallion Battalion won second place.

Members of the MHS Dolphin Battalion include cadets Frank Sablan, Rick Galang, Garett Calderwood, and Jan Michael Reyes. Members of the THS Stallion Battalion, meanwhile, are cadets Laurence Tumed, Nathan Guiao, Matua Villagomez, and Shawn Aquiningoc.

Kagman High School’s Ayuyu Battalion duplicated MHS Dolphin Battalion’s feat by besting six other teams in Female Saber Color Guard Teams competition.

Members of the KHS Ayuyu Battalion are cadets Alejandra Indelacio, Jennifer Iriarte, Celing Fogata, and Conilia Crisostomo.

Last Saturday’s competition was the Guam JROTC program’s highest and most important event of the year. First place teams in the various events will get a chance to compete against the nation’s best JROTC programs in the Annual National Competition to be held next month.

“Despite the rigorous challenges, barriers, exhaustions, and inconveniences experienced going through the security measures and requirements at the airports, mainly on Guam, the CNMI cadets still managed to preserve enough energy, strength, and endurance to capture top honors and take away significant and historical trophies from the Guam JROTC competition,” according to a media release from the CNMI JROTC program. “The CNMI cadets all demonstrated almost the same precision and techniques mastering the requirements to achieve top honors; however, the competition was just tremendously tough and slight and noticeable errors, no matter how small they are, would definitely cost anyone a chance to be in one of the top three positions.”

A total of nine CNMI JROTC teams participated in Guam’s Annual Color Guard Team competition. They consisted of two female saber teams—one from MHS and one from KHS.

Five Rifle Color Guard Teams also participated, one each from MHS, Saipan Southern High School (Manta Ray Battalion), KHS, THS, and Rota High School (Buck Battalion).

Army instructors that coached and guided the CNMI JROTC cadets during the competition were Sgt. Maj. Herman Atalig and MSgt. Herman Apatang for Rota, Sgt. Maj. Joaquin Kiyoshi and Sgt. 1st Class Richard Haugh for Saipan Southern, Master Sgt. James Burke and Sgt 1st Class Juan King for Kagman, Sgt. 1st Class Pedro Gloria for MHS, and MSgt. Juan Salas and Sgt. 1st Class David Rodriquez for Tinian.

The CNMI JROTC program would like to extend its appreciation for the continued support given by the Public School System.

High schools on Guam that participated in the competition were Simon Sanchez, George Washington High School, Guam Southern High School, Kennedy High School, Father Duenas High School, and Guam DODEA High School. (PR)