Dear Editor,
The Tiger Battalion is having a big year.
The JROTC instructors and cadets have put their whole hearts and focused effort into enhancing and improving their already outstanding citizenship and leadership program. BI JROTC continues to have a huge impact on the climate of Bradwell Institute, but the cadets have decided they want more. It is a part of the JROTC culture to seek continual improvement, and this outstanding unit is no different.
They have a vision that includes increased community involvement and social media presence as well as improved leadership training and cadet engagement. It may take a few years to get there, but everyone is excited about the process and looks forward to seeing the amazing things these highly motivated cadets will accomplish.
The mission of JROTC is to help mold cadets into better citizens. One of the key components in creating a better citizen is leadership skills and critical thinking; therefore, we challenge our cadets to improve their leadership skills by allowing them to lead activities such as drill team and rifle team. This year we added another leadership opportunity into our program: the Raider team. The Raider team focuses on leadership, physical fitness and teamwork. They compete with different schools in obstacle courses.
Each team has their own unique problems, and it’s our cadets’ job to overcome them with the guidance of the JROTC instructors, ultimately facilitating improved leadership within the program. It may take a couple years to see all of the growth, but there is already tangible evidence of increased community involvement.
The BI cadets have already participated in three parades as well as supported the VFW, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion and Wreaths Across America. In addition, they have completed a service learning project as part of the JROTC curriculum focused on meeting the needs of our local homeless population.
This winter marks the third year the Battalion has volunteered to help support Wreaths Across America. First, they gathered donations at their local football games. Then with the help of these very generous donations, a handful of the cadets went onto Fort Stewart to aid in laying the wreaths.
The leaders of the BI JROTC are thankful and proud to have the opportunity to lend their support and honor the fallen veterans. This year the focus is all about continuous improvement; therefore, creating social media accounts, like Facebook and Instagram pages, are vital to show the community all of the program’s hard work. In addition to social media, our Battalion also has its own booster club. The booster club’s job is to support our program and give extra funding for our various clubs and teams. The booster club also has an online presence to attract the attention of the community to increase our presence in the community.
Sincerely,
Bradwell Institute JROTC program cadets