The local Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps held their annual JROTC Cadet Leadership Challenge Camp at Hunter Army Airfield, June 6–9. Among the cadets were 16 JROTC members from Bradwell Institute. BI Senior Army JROTC Instructor Maj. (Ret.) Jason Baker said the camp is an annual event his cadets and various others from the region, including Liberty County High School and Long County, attend.

Unlike previous years and before COVID, the camp allowed the cadets to be fully immersed in the camping experience, which included a fournight stay at base camp. Baker said this year the BI team did not have the luxury of staying overnight but still enjoyed many of the camp’s leadership courses. Baker said the cadets went through various scenarios and training including drown proofing, an obstacle course, a rappel tower, land navigation, rope bridging and more. Each event was a competition and had established roles that allowed each student to serve as both leader and follower. “The whole point for them is they get to practice leadership skills,” Baker said. Chris Hisler, a JROTC instructor at Bradwell Institute, said the cadets took aviation and got to ride in a Chinook helicopter across the skies above Savannah. He said the teams get to experience different training skills and learning methods, making them more well-rounded. He said it builds teamwork, and the cadets enjoy the camaraderie they build with JROTC teams. Hisler and Baker said they hope the cadets get to experience the overnight stays at next year’s camp. Baker added that the team missed out on their annual sports day this year but look forward to the competition in 2023.