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JROTC cadets learn military, life skills during camp at March

  • Published
  • By Megan Just
  • 452 AMW Public Affairs
MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, Calif. --  Fifty teenagers from Rancho Verde High School in Moreno Valley and Arlington High School in Riverside arrived at March last Monday for their two-week Air Force JROTC Summer Leadership School. The cadets' time at March educated them about the Air Force, but more importantly, helped in JROTC's mission of building better citizens for America.

"We don't care if these kids go into the military or not," said retired Air Force Capt. Jeffrey Stein, senior aerospace science instructor at Rancho Verde High School. "We're not recruiters. We want them to be successful in life and that's enough. We teach them responsibility, teamwork, discipline, leadership and community service."

While many of the JROTC cadets are abuzz with plans for futures in the military, Captain Stein estimates just 10 percent will actually join the military directly after high school. Some of the cadets are not physically eligible to join the military while others will pursue a different career path or join the military later in life.

Whether the cadets end up in the military or not, the variety of career fields they are exposed to during their time at March is universally beneficial.

"It shows them they have the potential to do anything," Captain Stein said. "Some of them don't know much about the world they are about to walk into. Being out here at March really opens up the door to them in terms of the potential future they can have."

At March, the cadets' days were packed with activities. They visited aircraft maintenance shops, handled small arms, took a refueling flight in a KC-135 Stratotanker, explored a static C-17 Globemaster III, practiced orienteering at the end of the runway, toured the 163rd Reconnaissance Wing's Predator facility, watched a demonstration at the fire department, took a kickboxing class at the fitness center and spent half of a day with explosives ordnance disposal Airmen.

The cadets also attended presentations given by March service members and civilian employees. Topics included meteorology, the role of a first sergeant, summer safety, the mission of combat camera, Air Force Academy and enlisting in the Air Force and Air Force Reserve.

Captain Stein hopes Airmen from the wing will be enticed to keep a connection with the JROTC units during the school year, too.

"We would love to have them come out to the school and tell us what they do in their career field," he said. "Anytime, they are welcome to come out. We always love to have guest speakers."

Retired Lt. Col. Dale Clauson, senior aerospace science instructor at Arlington High School, said there are 57 JROTC units within an hour and a half drive of Riverside and 30 of those units are Air Force JROTC.

The Air Force JROTC wings are jointly operated though school districts and the Air Force. The aerospace science instructors are required to have completed a full career in the Air Force and they must attend Air Force instructor school, as well as be certified by the state of California to teach ROTC.

Unlike most teachers, JROTC instructors are able to spend four years with their students and Colonel Clauson said this opportunity to see the students grow and develop as people is the most rewarding aspect of his job.

"When we first see them, they're scared little kids and we get to watch them graduate as confident young men and women ready to go out and make their place in the world," he said.

He's seen several students enter officer programs and has one student who just finished her first year at the Air Force Academy, but it's the students who struggle in high school and then succeed against the odds in the military that make the greatest impression on him.

Arlington High School Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Emily Oakley wants to enlist in the Air Force and be a part of the Office of Special Investigations or Security Forces.
"I joined ROTC because I wanted to learn more about the military and meet new people. I wanted to experience more things than a normal teenager would," the high school
junior said.

If cadets enlist in the military after three years of attending high school aerospace science classes, they will start their service in the E-3 pay grade instead of E-1. But even for those who don't join the military, JROTC is still a direct benefit to their ability to enter the work force.

"Most kids, when they graduate, they don't have anything to put on their resume. These kids do," said retired Master Sgt. Ismael Fred, aerospace science instructor at Rancho Verde High School.

As part of their aerospace science classes, the cadets fill leadership roles, as well as taking on responsibilities such as information technology, personnel, supply and public affairs. Many cadets also participate in extracurricular JROTC activities like drill team or color guard where they compete against other JROTC programs at drill meets.

The cadets are also active in community service. They volunteer at school functions, collect food during the holidays, give substance abuse presentations to elementary school students and even support March during special events like the biennial air show and the recent Kid Rock concert.

"ROTC teaches us to respect elders, to wear the uniform and to be proud of the United States and who we are," said Rancho Verde High School Cadet Senior Airman Travis Ternus. "It works on your people skills and helps you communicate with all types of people of all ages. It also teaches us to deescalate confrontations."

The high school sophomore hopes to attend the Air Force Academy and become a pilot.

Arlington High School Cadet Master Sgt. Joshua Simmons hasn't always been so sure about his future career.

"I hated the military before I got to high school, but ROTC was the only class they offered me for one of the periods. Now I love it," he said.

Cadet Simmons said JROTC has taught him discipline and maturity. Benefits of the military like job security, health care and college programs appeal to him and he now hopes to enlist in the Air Force and work in the security forces or special forces career field.

Many of the cadets do not come from military families and for the cadets who do not pursue careers in the military, their summer leadership school weeks could be the only direct interaction they will have with the military during their lifetime.

A second group of cadets will arrive at base June 26 for an eight-day overnight session. The students, who are from Yucaipa, Arlington and Rancho Verde High Schools, will camp out in the 163rd Reconnaissance Wing's bivouac tents.