Julen Rivera Let Level 1 Miami Jackson SHS Miami, FL

HOW JROTC DIFFERS FROM OTHER HIGH SCHOOL COURSES

The Code of Federal Regulations states that JROTC is "designed for physically fit citizens attending participating schools. In public schools, JROTC is usually an elective course with membership limited to US citizens and legal foreign nationals, those who will graduate with their 9th grade cohort, and have not experienced an out of school suspension during the preceding six-month period. Often, students who participate for one year receive credit in lieu of a physical education class. Students who excel in the first year of JROTC can apply for a second year. Most schools offer three to four years of JROTC training.
Boarding schools or (pre-college) military schools may offer JROTC programs, with some requiring participation as a condition for acceptance to the school. Some public military schools mandate JROTC as a class for all grade levels, and have a curriculum that includes military history, military protocol, civics and physical fitness. Chicago has six public military academies, more than any other city and one-third of all in the country. A Marine Corps JROTC unit in Hendersonville, Tennessee. The JROTC program stresses military discipline, with a curriculum that emphasizes study of military science and military history. Cadets typically wear their uniforms once or twice a week, usually standing for inspection, with the exception being those cadets who attend a JROTC-based military academy. Their creed encourages conduct that brings credit to family, country, school and the corps of cadets, loyalty, citizenship and patriotism. Many cadets participate in extracurricular activities such as drill, color guard, rocketry or orienteering. At least two-thirds of JROTC units offer rifle marksmanship programs, and most of these have rifle teams. During the school year, there are regional competitions between JROTC units, with testing in all areas of military, naval and aerospace science. Some units organize special visits to US military bases during school breaks. There are also many summertime "leadership academies" for cadets hosted by various military installations. Cadets who maintain a certain grade point average may be eligible to participate in various honor societies. For example the Kitty Hawk Air Society is an Honor Society for the Air Force JROTC. Kitty Hawk Air Societies are usually divided up into chapters, each chapter being named after a famous Air Force related person or thing and based in a single AFJROTC unit. The purpose of KHAS is to further instill leadership and teamwork qualities in cadets. KHAS chapters usually take part in community service activities ranging from Adopt a Highway to American Cancer Society fund raising to tutoring other students within the unit and school.
Many units also host an annual military ball where cadets put on their best dress uniforms and gather together for a formal dinner. Usually awards are presented, speeches are given, and in many respects the occasion is like a second "prom" for juniors and seniors; sophomores and freshmen are also allowed to attend the Military Ball. Female cadets are generally not required to wear the dress uniform for military ball, but some do so voluntarily. Sometimes units also have a separate awards ceremony, which is attended by the instructors, guests, and parents. Fraternal organizations, such as the American Legion, often give out awards for military excellence, academics, and citizenship, in addition to the standard awards given by the JROTC program. The year may be finished with a change of command ceremony, where the new unit commander, executive officer, and other unit officers are named and take command from the current officers. Mid-level officers are also named. Some units choose the next year's NCO and junior officer corps based on officer and NCO candidate schools, usually held immediately following the end of the school year. There are other extracurricular activities that the JROTC's programs provide for their cadets, including trips to military installations, ROTC college programs, and other sites that give the cadets a look at the military community.
Successful completion of the program (usually 2–4 years of classes) can lead to advanced rank upon enlistment in the Armed Forces. For example, upon completion of 3 years of Air Force JROTC, cadets may at their instructor's discretion enlist in the Air Force at the rank of Airman First Class (E-3). However, JROTC participation incurs no obligation to join the military. Aside from the normal benefits of a good high school course, there are some very real benefits for those who wish to take advantage of them. JROTC instructors have been very success in helping those students who are interested in college scholarships worth Service Academy appointments. A limited number of scholarships or seeking up to $50,000 each and Service Academy appointments worth up to $2000,000 are awarded to qualified high school students annually. Many colleges give advanced standing and credit for completion of the JROTC program to students who enroll in college ROTC. Those students who decide to enter active military service after graduation may receive advanced promotions for having successfully completed two or more years of JROTC. The Army JROTC curriculum includes such topics as citizenship, U.S. Military History, first-aid, human relations, military map reading, techniques of communication, drill and ceremony, physical fitness, and time management.
Students may participate as a member of a Color Guard, and Honor Guard, a Drill Team, and/or an Air Rifle Marksmanship Team. Some students will be offered the opportunity to attend a JROTC camp for one week during the summer vacation period. Finally, students will have the opportunity to progress in rank and responsibility and assist the instructors in conducting the JROTC program.
JROTC course material is academically sound and enhances the college preparatory curriculum. JROTC is well represented in the ranks of the National Honor Society, National Merit Scholarship, and other academic and scholarship programs
Unlike most classes JROTC instructors are retired military officers and non-commissioned officers. They are school faculty members who are also certified by the Army to teach JROTC. On that note these classes are also taught by there fellow peers , it’s a student taught class with some help from the teachers but it is the students of higher rank then others that want to give it a try. Also unlike normal high school courses students in jrotc must meet a required look , both boys and girls will be expected to meet standards of appearance when in uniform. The standards for example boys include hair of natural color, no “unique” hair styles, hair may not touch the collar of the uniform and may not hang over the ear. Boys may not wear pony tails, hair pieces, or hair retention devices. Moustaches must be neatly trimmed. Beards are not allowed. Boys may not wear earrings. The standards for girls extending past the bottom edge of the collar . Earrings must be plain posts , and make-up must be of a subdued or neutral color.