WELCOME TO JROTC
Revised August 16, 2011
I would
like to take this opportunity to welcome you to the Mesquite High School Junior
Reserve Officers Training Corps and to answer some frequently asked
questions. Please have your parents read
this letter also.
1)
Service Obligation:
You have NO OBLIGATION to join any military service due to
membership in the JROTC Program.
2)
Cost:
a) Uniforms:
There is no cost for the issue of the uniforms. Cadets are responsible to keep the uniform
clean, neat and pressed. Most items are
wash and wear; however the dress green
coat and the dress green slacks must be dry-cleaned.
b) If a cadet loses their uniform the
parents are responsible to pay for the lost items. Items such as ribbons cost as little as 25
cents, while the dress green coat cost as much as $104.00. If a cadet lost everything they were issued
the cost would be approximately $200.00.
c) If you are a member of a special
team (Drill Team, Color Guard, Orienteering Team, Rifle Team) you will be
responsible for the cost of lodging and meals for yourself when on the road to
competitions. We sleep 3-4 cadets to a
room to keep cost down to a minimum. The
average cost to a cadet for an over night competition is approximately $40.00, for
a two night stay it runs about $75.00. Each team participates in approximately
2-3 over night competitions each year.
Non-over night trips run approximately $15.00 for food.
d) Also see paragraphs 7.
3)
Homework:
A quiz or test will be given to cadets on their uniform day (Wednesday
or Thursday depending on the student’s block schedule) each week. Cadets have a study guide and are informed in
advance which questions they will be responsible for during the quiz/test. They are expected to study these questions at
home. Each cadet will complete an essay
in the 1st 6 weeks of school.
4)
Books:
JROTC uses a classroom set of books and materials. Students are required to maintain a
journal/notebook and study guide.
5)
Subject matter/grading policy:
Subjects taught in JROTC are leadership, first aid, living drug free,
map reading, the Constitution of the United States, technology awareness,
public speaking, goal setting, team building, personal finance, military
history, military customs and courtesy, drill and ceremonies, geography, and
citizenship. Cadets are graded 20% on
uniform inspection/oral quiz, 20% tests, 20% Drill & Ceremonies, 20%
Leadership and 20% on class participation/written quizzes.
6)
Fund Drives:
JROTC conducts two fund drives a year.
The money is used to pay for student awards, awards programs, military
ball, transportation and specialized uniform items.
7)
The Military Ball:
The Military Ball is an Official Social Function and is part of the
U. S. Army Scoring System for ranking JROTC units.
The purpose of the ball is to foster cadet comradeship, teach military
etiquette, formal social skills and to have a good time. The ball is chaperoned
by Sergeant First Class Bazan, Sergeant Major Cerda, at least one female chaperon
and myself. We
encourage parents to come as chaperons also. The cost of the ball should not exceed $25.00
per guest if our fund raisers are successful.
However there is the cost of flowers and dresses for the ladies. The gentlemen attend in their JROTC Dress Uniform
with white shirt and bow tie. Male
dates that are not in JROTC will wear coat and tie and their appearance must
conform to school standards. The
Ball is scheduled for March 3, 2012.
8)
The Awards Ceremony:
This is conducted at the end of each year to present local and national
JROTC Awards to our cadets for their outstanding performance during the year.
It is scheduled for April 12,
2012.
9)
School and Community Support:
The JROTC program is designed to promote good citizenship habits and we
support a wide variety of school and community service and support activities.
Cadet participation is voluntary, but strongly encouraged. We support Mesquite High School football
games as ushers and ticket takers. We support the city of Mesquite and veterans
associations during patriotic celebrations and put on drill demonstrations at
other schools and veterans hospitals. Cadets earn service ribbons and awards
for participation in these activities.
10)
Wear of the uniform:
Cadets are required to wear their uniform once each week on a designated
uniform day (normally Wednesday or Thursday).
Twenty percent of the cadet’s grade is earned on this day as they are
inspected and quizzed on class room subject matter. Cadets will wear their uniforms when
representing the JROTC at all school and community support activities.
11)
Army Annual Inspection:
The U. S. Army inspects every JROTC unit once each year. Any unit that fails this inspection is placed
on probation. If the unit fails a second
time, the JROTC program is removed from the school permanently. We have never failed an inspection or been on
probation. Since 1994 the cadets have
taken the Honor Unit with Distinction Award placing the school in the top
ten percent of the nation. The key
to success is the student, 70% of the score is earned by the cadets on attendance,
uniform inspection, oral testing and demonstration. Any student who has an unexcused absence or
fails to be in the proper uniform on the day of the inspection will automatically
fail that six week grading period (40% percent of their grade).
The inspection is scheduled for January 19, 2012.
12)
Family Support Group: This group of parents/family members
provides support for a large number of activities. We encourage all cadets’ parents to participate
in this group and do what they can to help. We normally meet on the third Thursday of each
month in the JROTC classroom. Our first meeting will be August 25th
at 6:30 PM in the JROTC classroom.
The JROTC is in need of female adult chaperons.
If any female parent could travel on overnight trips (usually Friday
-Saturday night) please provide their names, telephone number and address
to Lieutenant Colonel Easley or Mrs. Antoinette Guerrero, Family Support Group
President. We will cover the cost of travel and lodging.
13)
Scholarships: At the end of a cadet’s junior year they are eligible to
apply for Senior ROTC Scholarships to any university/college having a ROTC
Program from any of the services. The
student must have an SAT score of at least 1000 on the Math and Verbal portion
combined or ACT score of 26 to apply.
Due to their membership in the Junior ROTC they have a better chance of
selection than non ROTC applicants. We
fill out the scholarship applications here in my office.
14)
Military Service Benefits: If a cadet chooses to go into any of the branches
of the armed services they receive advanced promotions when they enlist based
on completion of two years of JROTC (promotion to Private E-2 in the Army,
Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard) or three years of JROTC (Private
First Class E-3 in the Army, Navy and Air Force).
15)
Summer Activities: JROTC will conduct a summer freshmen camp in May and
Raider Challenge Camp in early June.
During summer camps cadets will be taught canoeing, leadership, camping,
rappelling, drill and numerous other outdoor activities.
16)
Mandatory Events: There are approximately five
mandatory outside of school events including pre-Annual inspections, Army
Annual Inspection, Veterans Day Parade, Military Ball, Awards Ceremony, and
Brigade Pass-in-Review. Cadets failing
to attend these events will lose 20% of their 6 week grades per event.
17)
The
first year in JROTC is based on the cadet’s decision to join the program. Membership
in the 2-4 year requires the approval of the Senior Army Instructor (Lieutenant
Colonel Easley). Cadets will be
informed in April or May of each year if they are not being selected for
retention for the next school year.
Feel free to contact me at work (972-882-7844)
if you have any questions.
Visit our website at http://www.mesquiteisd.org/mhs/organizations/rotc/index/html
JAMES BLUNK
LIEUTENANT
COLONEL, US ARMY RETIRED
DIRECTOR
ARMY INSTRUCTOR/SENIOR ARMY INSTRUCTOR