Whiz Kids: NJROTC Competing in Area Championships for Fourth Straight Year

According to Title 10 of the United States Code, the purpose of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps is "to instill in students in United States secondary educational  institutions the values of citizenship, service to the United States, and personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment."

The Riverhead Navy Junior Officer Training Corps has been instilled with more than a "sense" of accomplishment. They've been accomplishing.

For the fourth straight year, the NJROTC has qualified and is ready to compete at the Area Four Champinoship Meet on May 21. The NJROTC program is split up into 13 different areas across the world, and Area Four spans 10 states from Delaware to Maine.

Last Saturday, the Riverhead NJROTC placed second out of 13 schools at the North Rockland, N.Y. Mideast Regional Drill Meet. Its first place showing in Southold at the beginning of the year locked it up for the May 21 Area Four Meet.

Riverhead's program, according to MSgt. Douglas "Top" Strebel, currently has 100 students participating. The program - paid for, as are all ROTC programs, through federal funds - is offered as a course at Riverhead High School, and though those who take the course, particularly experienced cadets, are encouraged to lead the squad in its drill meets.

"If you want to get in a leadership position, as with most things, you have to do your time," said Strebel. "You can't be a ghost. You need to have working knowledge of how the programs come together."

Beyond military drills, students are put in charge of most of the program. Particular aspects include overseeing the administrative side, filing paperwork on students taking the course. Another example would be supply oversight - looking over materials that belong to the program.

The students meet multiple times a week, before school, to practice their drills.

"ROTC has definitely lived up to my expectations and more," said one cadet, Ensign Amanda Gallo. "It has given me direction, a corp of cadets to fall back on, endless opportunities to strengthen and improve my abilities to be a leader. My superiors have taught me through example the ways to run operations within the unit and to give back to the community."

Though the program is federally funded, the NJROTC holds fund raisers to send its students to places they otherwise would not have the chance to go. Some students recently attended a leadership camp in Norwich, Vt. and Strebel said he would like to send more down to a camp in Georgia.

The next fund raiser - a Chinese auction and craft fair, at the high school - will take place on Saturday, April 16, from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Click here for a list of their upcoming events and meets.