JROTC Instructors - Major (r) Scott Lynch - Sergeant First Class (r) Joel Kruschke
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JROTC prepares you for life ‐ "not for the military”. Junior ROTC is a high school course given during regular school hours but include many out‐of‐classroom activities. We cover the basics in history, government, technology awareness, and current events, but we also teach leadership skills, and interview for jobs. We also offer extracurricular activities like drill team and color guard. You might even have a chance to go to a JROTC Junior Leadership Development Course (summer camp), where you'll train on confidence courses, play team sports, and learn land navigation and water safety techniques. No JROTC cadet is under any obligation to join the military. So don't worry, your child isn't going to join the military unless he or she really wants to. Our interest is simply to give you an opportunity to develop and improve yourself in ways schools generally don't offer.
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I would like to welcome your family into JROTC. As you may know, JROTC is a cooperative effort between the local school system and the Army in over 1560 locations around the world. Its purpose is to emphasize citizenship, leadership, individual responsibility and school graduation. JROTC utilizes a military structure as a vehicle to teach leadership and responsibility. As such, the students will most likely experience a more structured and disciplined environment than in their other classes. For example, students will be addressed as “Cadet” followed by their last name. Upon demonstrated performance and potential, they will receive a cadet rank of “Private” with the opportunity to earn rank up to “Colonel”. Cadets will be issued uniforms, free of charge, and be required to wear them on Wednesdays, and must maintain proper appearance (cleanliness, haircuts, clean‐shaven, etc). We will take care of the tailoring but the cadets are responsible for the care and cleaning of their uniforms. If uniform items are lost or damaged due to negligence, the cadet/parent may be held liable for replacement. Cadets will also have the opportunity to earn awards and ribbons to wear with their uniform. Awards and ribbons are earned for Academic Excellence; participation in parades, JROTC Teams and/or Varsity Sports; Perfect Attendance; and Personal
Appearance to name just a few.
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Introduction to the Corps of Cadets
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JROTC
The Program
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As established in 1916, the United States Army's Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps, or JROTC, is designed to teach high school students the value of citizenship, leadership, service to the community, personal responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment, while instilling in them self‐esteem, teamwork, and self‐discipline. These tenets are evident in the Cadet Creed.
Mission Statement
The program’s focus is concisely reflected in its mission statement, "To motivate young people to be better citizens." To this end, JROTC prepares high school students for responsible leadership roles while making them aware of their rights, responsibilities, and privileges as American citizens. The program is a stimulus for promoting graduation from high school, and it provides instruction and rewarding opportunities that will benefit the student, community, and nation.
Objectives
The JROTC program intends to teach cadets to:
• Appreciate the ethical values and principles that underlie good citizenship.
• Develop leadership potential, while living and working cooperatively with others.
• Be able to think logically and to communicate effectively with others, both orally and in writing.
• Appreciate the importance of physical fitness in maintaining good health.
• Understand the importance of high school graduation for a successful future, and learn about college and other advanced educations and employment opportunities.
• Develop mental management abilities.
• Become familiar with military history as it relates to America's culture, and understand the history, purpose,
and structure of the military services.
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A Brief Look at JROTC Curriculum
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Teaching Methodology
Because there are just two JROTC instructors and four levels of Leadership, Education and Training (LET) to teach, U. S. Army Cadet Command has structured the curriculum sequencing so that it can be presented by two instructors. LET‐1 (first year) curriculum is required before taking any other JROTC course. Also, JROTC curriculum is sequential with the exception of LET‐2 While one instructor teaches LET‐1 the other JROTC instructor has LET‐2 . This arrangement allows the LET‐2 cadets serve as assistant teachers for the LET‐1 cadets for many of the first‐year lower skill classes.
Standards Based Instruction
This educator‐developed curriculum is compatible with brain‐based learning, is aligned with the Secretary’s (Labor) Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) and supports Mid‐Continent Education Research Laboratory (MCREL) developed standards. It should be noted that the standards adopted by Ridge View Academy were also developed by MCREL, so there is great compatibility between the district and Army JROTC standards.
Four‐phase Lesson Plans
There are four phases (and ways) of learning to each lesson plan topic: inquire, gather, process, and apply. Likewise, each lesson outline highlights: the essential lesson question, multiple intelligences covered within the lesson, educational levels addressed, core abilities to be demonstrated, authentic assessments, and the MCREL standards addressed by the lesson.
Post‐high School Opportunities
Traditionally, everything else being equal, JROTC cadets tend to do very well in the selection process for all military academies, as well as the four‐year scholarships of all three services (a Marine option is available to NROTC scholarship winners). In addition, those graduating cadets with two or more years of creditable JROTC service (must have passing grades in JROTC) have the opportunity to enter the military at up to two ranks above their
non‐JROTC high school peers.
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THE JROTC CADET CREED
I AM AN ARMY JROTC CADET. I WILL ALWAYS CONDUCT MYSELF TO BRING CREDIT TO MY FAMILY, COUNTRY, SCHOOL AND CORPS OF CADETS.
I AM LOYAL AND PATRIOTIC. I AM THE FUTURE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
I DO NOT LIE, CHEAT OR STEAL AND WILL ALWAYS BE Accountable FOR MY ACTIONS AND DEEDS.
I WILL ALWAYS PRACTICE GOOD CITIZENSHIP AND PATRIOTISM.
I WILL WORK HARD TO IMPROVE MY MIND AND STRENGTHEN MY BODY.
I WILL SEEK THE MANTEL OF LEADERSHIP AND STAND PREPARED TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION AND THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE.
MAY GOD GRANT ME THE STRENGTH TO ALWAYS LIVE BY THIS CREED.
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Participation in JROTC will require the following:
⇒ Students who express an interest
⇒ Parent permission—parents can access an online permission slip on the www.ridgeviewacademy.com website
(click here) electronic and/or a hard copy from their son.
⇒ Once we receive the parent’s permission then students will be registered with JROTC and able to begin the program.
⇒ Any questions please contact Sgt. Kruschke