Coyote Battalion
JANUARY 2021 NEWSLETTER
Commander's Corner
Hey everyone, it's Caitie your Battalion Commander for this year. This year has had so many challenges, but those challenges come with a lot of accomplishments. So many cadets have gotten promoted this semester! I am especially proud of the LET 1s taking the initiative to learn what they need for their promotion tests!! The morale this year is like no other! I’m super proud of everyone’s participation this year! Without y’all this battalion wouldn’t run. I want to give a warm welcome to all the returning cadets and the new ones joining us! I want to make sure everyone knows that I have an open-door policy. Anyone can come talk, email, or text me about ideas, issues, or just needing someone to talk to. I am here for all of you no matter what it is!
Command Sergeant Major's Spot
Hello everyone! My name is Jessica Johnson, and I’m your Command Sergeant Major for this school year. I would like to personally thank you all for giving me hope for this year. Before school started, I was doubtful. I believed that the pandemic would ruin my last year of high school, that it would rip away my final year in our JROTC program. Skyline’s Army JROTC has had a huge impact on my life. Not only because it helped me be the person I am today, but because it gave me something that I never thought I needed; a second family. You guys made the first semester truly amazing, so I can’t wait to see what happens this semester. I believe that we will return to school before the semester ends, so don’t lose hope! No matter what, I know that we’ll find a way to make this year unforgettable.
For those of you who are new this semester, I would like to welcome you into our program! Feel free to talk with me or any other cadet if you’d like some help with getting used to everything. We’ll always be here for you, and welcome to the family!
LET 1 OF THE MONTH!
Deysi Hermosillo Solano
C/ PVT Hermosillo Solano is a senior who made the great decision to be a part of the Battalion this year. Here is what she had to say in the interview we had together!
C/ PVT Hermosillo Solano stated that her first semester was odd seeing that her first semester began online. But she has grown more accustomed to it though she feels like she has a long way to feel like she fully belongs. Other than JROTC Deysi enjoys drawing and playing her viola though she's still new at it. She stated most of what she learned in JROTC was stuff she learned throughout high school and her personal life. For example, treating others with respect and kindness is part of her character. Her advice to new cadets would be to understand that in life, you'll need to learn that the skills in JROTC are genuine lessons even if it isn't taken seriously at first. Respect those even if they are vastly different from yourself.
In the photo, Cadet Hermosillo is receiving the Army JROTC Accommodation Medal for actions in helping a fellow cadet who suffered a medical emergency during an obstacle course. Deysi alertly jumped to the aid of her teammate and assisted the instructors as they coordinated for medical assistance.
Dear Sergeant:
Dear SGT, I am a new cadet this year and I was wondering if we can have our own spirit week in JROTC?
Dear New Cadet, Having a Spirit Week in JROTC would be a good morale booster I think. That would be a cadet leadership decision though. Bring up the idea to your platoon sergeant and platoon leader so they can push the idea to the higher leadership. Hopefully we’ll see people dressed up in some funny ways sometime this year!
Dear SGT: I am a very shy but motivated cadet.I’m scared of being put in a position where I’ll have to be in charge of something and not do so well.
Dear shy but motivated cadet: This program is designed to help you learn leadership skills. However, being a good leader is getting to know your cadets and learning their strengths and weaknesses. Confidence grows with experience and to get experience is to, well, do something that you can accomplish. Once you accomplish some easy tasks, then you’ll have something to build on. Before you know it, you’ll be multitasking and working through some challenging leadership situations.
Dear SGT: The Arizona Cardinals didn’t make the playoffs this year and I’m afraid Larry Fitzgerald might retire. Are the Cardinals ever going to make the playoffs?
Dear Arizona Cardinals fan: I’m sorry you picked that team to support. The Chicago Bears would have been a better choice. However, the Cardinals still have a very young and talented team. My guess is even if Larry Fitzgerald retires, they'll make the playoffs sometime in this decade. Go Bears!
Dear SGT: I am a LET 3 cadet and was wondering if we could combine Alpha and Bravo companies in the same hour in the future so that we could compete against each other sometimes?
Dear ambitious cadet: Combining the companies has been thought about. The concern is limiting JROTC to that specific hour because of peoples schedules. We could look at that idea again to see if it’s something we would like to try?
Christmas Tree Decorating Contest
Congratulations to the Companies tying for taking the top spot in the Christmas Tree decorating contest!!!
Military Heritage Heroes Project
Jay Vargas
Winslow, Arizona
Captain, USMC recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions during the Vietnam War
Bruce Crandall
Olympia, Washington
Major, US Army recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions during the Vietnam War
Hiroshi Miyamura
Gallup, New Mexico
Corporal, US Army recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions during the Korean War
William Kyle Carpenter
Jackson, Mississippi
Lance Corporal, USMC recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions during the War in Afghanistan
Mike Colalillo
Hibbing, Minnesota
Private First Class, US Army recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions during World War II
Clinton Romesha
Lake City, California
Staff Sergeant, US Army recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions during the War in Afghanistan
Tibor Rubin
Hungary
Corporal, US Army recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions during the Korean War
Memory Lane
Veterans Day in Mesa 2013:
I remember that day just like it was yesterday. The JROTC honored veterans in the community during a Flag Folding Ceremony held at a local senior center in Mesa. There were about thirty cadets involved in the ceremony honoring twelve veterans designated by the host community center. The Color Guard came out first to present the colors while the National Anthem played loudly. You could see the pride in the veteran’s eyes as they removed their caps and placed it in front of their hearts. The Rifle Drill team came out next and formed two lines and presented Arms as the Color Guard passed between them. As the Color Guard left the floor, the rifle drill team performed a stellar performance that lasted about five minutes. Their moves were very crisp that day and their spins were something to remember. The Unarmed Drill team entered the floor just as the rifle drill ended and gave the crowd stompidy stomps and some clapity claps while whirling around in such a synchronous and enjoyable presentation. They ended in a salute to the crowd that had them clapping and cheering so loud that the cadets could hardly hear the commands from the commander to leave the stage. Then the crowd went silent as the Flag team entered the stage with a folded flag in the commander’s arms. They ceremoniously unfolded the flag and held the huge American Flag up for everyone to see. Then they folded the flag width wise and waited for the Saber Team to get set. The saber team formed two lines and formed a beautiful arc with the sabers for the veterans to walk through as their name was called to fold the flag once while the speaker told a story about the meaning of each fold. As the name of each veteran’s name was called, they stood up and walked to the flag with pride oozing out of their chests. It was a such a sight to see. After the flag folded, the senior army instructor accepted the perfectly folded flag and presented it to a special veteran designated by the community center. I remember tears welling up in his eyes as he first saluted, then reached over to accept the flag from the arms of the senior army instructor.
The Flag Folding Ceremony was incredibly special that day as the crowd of a couple hundred people were on the edge of their seats as the drill teams performed, and then went to total silence as the flag team and the speaker performed their duties. The community center coordinator, who was also a veteran said, “Thanks for a great memory”.
The Funnies
Q: Why did the golfer bring two pairs of pants
A: Because he had a hole in one
Q: Why shouldn’t you write with a broken pen
A: Because it's pointless
Q: Why do people say “ Break a leg” when you go on stage
A: Because every play has a cast
Q: What do you call a pig that does karate?
A: A porkchop
Q: What do you call an alligator detective
A: An investi-gator
Q: Why did the bike fall over
A: It was too tired
Q: Why do seagulls fly over the sea
A: If they flew over the bay, they would be a bagel
Resources
We hope this section provides you with some resources to help you plan your future. There are countless opportunities out there to explore!
MILITARY ENLISTED: Active duty Army & Navy enlistment bonus of up to $40,000. Army Reserve enlistment bonus of up to $20,000. Check out these websites to learn more about enlisting in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Space Force, National Guard or Coast Guard:
www.goarmy.com www.navy.com www.marines.com www.usairforce.com www.gocoastguard.com www.nationalguard.com
MILITARY OFFICER: You can earn a commission and serve in the military as an officer through one of the Service Academies, or through the ROTC program at hundreds of colleges across the country:
www.westpoint.edu www.usna.edu www.usafa.edu www.usmma.edu www.goarmy.com/rotc.html www.netc.navy.mil/NSTC/NROTC/ www.afrotc.com
COLLEGE & CAREER READINESS: Be sure to leverage the expertise of Skyline’s amazing College & Career Counselor—Mrs. Monica Jensen 480-472-9460 mbjensen2@mpsaz.org www.mpsaz.org/skyline/counseling/career-center/
COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS: www.mpsaz.org/scholarships
FINANCIAL AID & COLLEGE PREPARATION:
www.mpsaz.org/skyline/counseling/career-center/files/additional_resources.pdf
OTHER CAREER OPPORTUNITIES:
www.linkedin.com www.glassdoor.com www.indeed.com www.monster.com www.flexjobs.com