JROTC » JROTC FAQ

JROTC FAQ

JROTC is a citizenship awareness, confidence building, leadership development, and academic curriculum accredited course sponsored by the United States Army.  Our mission is To Motivate Young People to Become Better Citizens.  JROTC builds discipline confidence and belief in the cadets that they can accomplish whatever they set their minds to. The course stresses good grades in school, school involvement, and community service in a hands-on, positive, challenging environment.
As a cadet you will develop responsibility skills for yourself, fellow cadets, and feel as if you a part of a team. Our classes include Citizenship and Government, Leadership Development, Health and Wellness, Oral Presentation, Writing, and Study Skills, Physical Fitness, and Drug Abuse Awareness. More information is on the Curriculum page. https://shs.rcschools.net/apps/pages/JROTCcurriculum 
The Senior Army Instructor is a retired active duty US Army Officer, and the Army Instructor is a retired active duty US Army Senior Non-Commissioned Officer each with over twenty years experience in active military service.  Both instructors have college degrees and are qualified as certified licensed teachers within the state of Tennessee.  The instructors are equal, integral members of the school’s faculty.  The two instructors combined have over 45 years’ experience teaching and training students of various ages.
Yes.  Each year taken in JROTC will earn for the cadet one full credit.  One year of JROTC equals the required PE credit, two years equals the state Wellness requirement, and three years of JROTC completion will earn the cadet US Government and Financial Planning equivalents.  JROTC is a state recognized Focus Cluster and Academic Pathway. This allows you to take lesser class loads or take college level classes while still in high school your Junior and Senior year. 
The course stresses individual discipline, study skills, responsibility, and good grades in other classes as well as JROTC. Success in JROTC correlates directly to success in other classes. Cadets involved in JROTC activities stay in school, graduate on time, and have goals for follow-on careers or education. The instructors focus on the importance of good grades, positive behavior in school and at home, goal setting, and provide guidance to the cadets for future success upon graduation. The course also offers information on various scholarship application processes.
No. Many of our classes are hands-on focused and relate to life and societal skills. Classes are filled with activities that strengthen cadet confidence and allow for interaction with the other cadets and instructors.
Absolutely Not. We are not a recruiter for the armed forces. There is no military obligation or commitment to join the armed services. Many cadets, however, enjoy the military discipline and structure JROTC brings to them, and they want to continue that structure after graduation and join the service. Other cadets may win appointments to one of the service academies or earn a ROTC scholarship to a university.  Cadets who do enlist may enter the service at a higher rank and pay grade
If you don’t, it will be because you chose not to participate and get the most out of your experience. Our cadets love our physical fitness program and the well being they feel from participating on JROTC teams and activities. The cadets in our program feel like a large family that accomplishes many successes. We are the largest organized group in Smyrna High.
No.  The uniforms, textbooks, insignia, and instructional materials are provided by the Army and through school and program fund raising. If cadets lose, break or destroy an issued item, they will need to pay to replace it. Occasionally the cadet may want to purchase, for their personal use, team T-shirts to display their pride and school spirit.  The competitions and trips taken by the program are funded through the Army, the school, and the program.
Yes.  Each cadet must wear a standard US Army gender specific dress uniform one day per week. The cadets will wear the uniform to school, at school all day, and home from school. Remaining in uniform properly is an expectation of successful membership in the program. The dress uniform consists of a dress blue coat and slacks, beret, dress shirt and a tie.
Yes.  You must meet the grooming standards as outlined in the Army regulations for proper wearing of the uniform.  This includes shaving for all males, and hair placed up above the collar and off the face for females. Proper grooming in uniform is an integral component in presenting a sharp, neat, professional appearance. Only natural hair colors are allowed.

There are restrictions while in uniform on the type of jewelry authorized.  When not in uniform, the school’s dress policy applies. The instructors will explain the proper procedures to each cadet. 

Not really. Just like any other suit of nice proper clothing, it requires regular dry cleaning and proper hanging and storage after wear.  The uniform is issued to each cadet cleaned, and the cadet is responsible for its upkeep and cleanliness until it is returned at the end of the year.

They may, but those are usually the students who are not involved in any activities at school or have a low opinion or no confidence in themselves. Our cadets feel a special bond with each other in the program and look extremely sharp in their uniforms on inspection days. The teachers at school are extremely supportive of our program and give proper praise and recognition to the cadets in their class.

Our teams are all voluntary extra-curricular activities much like the varsity team sports offered by the school. The teams are Drill Team, Raider Adventure Training, Color Guard, Robotics and Air Rifle.  Each team is cadet led, run, selected and instructor supervised or mentored.  The cadets organize the team and train for competitions, meets, and matches we participate in throughout the school year.  Joining a team requires an additional commitment by the cadet in time, effort, and dedication, but the rewards are so much more important. The teams train and practice regularly after school or before school, and most of their competitions or performances are on weekends or in the evenings. You can check more information at https://shs.rcschools.net/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=601271&type=d&pREC_ID=2409601

No.  However, the cadets who are on the teams tell us that is where they learn the most and experience the best of JROTC.  They enjoy the teamwork and comradeship of membership in a special group of cadets.  Team members become the best leaders in our program. The more you participate the further you will advance in the program.

The teams compete against other high school JROTC programs at a variety of locations.  Each team has 3-5 competitions a year.  The competitions are like varsity sports contests in that we are competing with our best against their best. We travel to the competitions in school buses or our activity buses.  Parents are always welcome to attend and watch you compete.

Yes.  We have several members of the school’s sports teams and marching band in JROTC.  When you join a sports team or marching band, you must commit to their practice and performance schedule during that particular activity’s season. We will work with you to allow you to attend our team practices.  After the sport or band season is over, you may participate fully on a JROTC team.

We conduct physical training every Friday for class.  Cadets must bring PT clothing and shoes to school to change into. The instructors allow time for the cadets to change clothes.  Training includes stretches, functional fitness, running, and team or group fitness activities.  We also learn and practice close order marching drills utilizing the US Army drill regulations.  Classes are formed into platoons and squads to conduct the drills or exercises.  All activities are cadet led and instructor supervised.

 

Every December, we hold our formal JROTC Military Ball. This is a required attendance function for all cadets. The first Wednesday of each month we hold a battalion formation in the gym before school allowing the cadet leaders to practice their drill and command procedures and to present promotions, awards, and other recognitions. We hold promotion boards each semester and have an awards ceremony end of the year.

We are constantly involved in school activities. We formally raise and lower the school flags weekly.  We have cadets who are office and guidance workers. We direct traffic and control parking at school athletic events. We provide the Color Guard for each home sporting event. We are involved in our school’s open houses, orientations and registration nights.  We perform school grounds cleanup and beautification.  And most importantly, we have a cadet member in nearly every authorized club at Smyrna High School.  We are the largest group at school and are excellent ambassadors for our school when we travel.

We are actively involved with our partner elementary and middle schools in Smyrna.  We participate in numerous city functions with color guards and cadet representatives. We have an Adopt a Highway section of our city’s roads for community beautification.  We visit local hospitals and nursing homes during holiday seasons, and honor veterans with ceremonies on Veterans’ Day.  It is all a part of our mission to become better citizens.