FAQ

Is military service one of the goals or requirements of JROTC? 

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!  JROTC is NOT a military recruiting tool.  Instructors do not recruit students.  JROTC is a life skills class that will benefit every student.  Any student going to college or directly into the work force would arguably benefit more from JROTC than a student entering the military.

What are the uniform wear requirements?

Students may choose to take JROTC for one semester without the requirement to wear the military uniform or meet military grooming requirements.  However, students will have basic requirements for permissible clothing that can be worn on the day cadets wear the military uniform.  Students may opt-in to uniform wear at any time during their first semester and they must opt-in to uniform wear to be eligible to return to JROTC beyond their first semester OR to be eligible to participate in certain activities, such as Color Guard.

Are the costs involved with taking JROTC?

The majority of JROTC activities and participation do NOT have a student cost.  Uniforms, when worn, are provided at no cost, but must be properly maintained and returned to avoid a replacement cost.  When nominal fees are required, we never allow finances be the reason a student is unable to participate.  Cost for these activities can be covered for students in need.  The Dress Blue uniform MUST be dry cleaned prior to return at the end of the semester/school year.  Uniforms returned without professional dry cleaning will be charged to the student's school account.  If required return uniform items are not returned, the entire replacement cost will be charged to the student's account.

Are there program requirements outside of class?  

Yes.  Leadership Development Requirement programs such as Color Guard, Drill Team, Marksmanship Team, Raiders Team, etc. are all voluntary.  However, there are two to three community service projects per semester that Cadets are REQUIRED to attend.  An example is the New Castle Christmas parade.  Notice is sent out well in advance of the events, but Cadets MUST attend as part of the JROTC class.

What are the physical requirements for PT? 

Wellness is a mandatory component of the JROTC program that is mandated to encompass 20% of the class.  The JROTC Wellness program is designed to teach students good habits when it comes to their personal wellness.  It is NOT designed to be an athletic program that to turn every Cadet into an athlete.  The performance level is determined by each student based on improvement of their current fitness level, but the effort must be genuine.  The two major components of the Wellness grade are Attitude/Participation and wear of the PT uniform.  Students are issued a PT uniform and it is REQUIRED to be worn on PT days (usually Friday).   Fitness assessments consisting of a 1-Mile Run, 1-Minute timed push-ups and 1-Minute timed sit-ups are given at the beginning and end of each semester and the student's goal is simply to improve in each area.  No student should fear the physical component of JROTC as many students have been successful in the past despite having no history of physical activities prior to joining the program.  Students need properly fitted running shoes.  Every athletic shoe is not the same.  There are three types of shoes (Neutral, Stability, and Motion Control) that need to match how the student's foot and ankle move.  Get fitted at a good running store.  It makes a HUGE difference in the body's ability to function properly when performing physical activity.

Is physical punishment as seen in military movies a part of the program? 

NO!  Physical punishment, such as forcing students to perform push-ups for making mistakes, is considered hazing and is strictly prohibited.   Please inform Major Mock or Chief Hughes if you believe you have been hazed.  Note:  having all students participate in push-ups and other physical activity as part of the PT program as identified above is NOT punishment and is a required component of the program.  

Are there benefits of JROTC if I am considering a military career after high school? 

Yes.  While military service is not the goal of the program, completing two to three years of JROTC will result in a certificate of completion that could result in a higher rank at the time of military enlistment.   The rank obtained varies by service, but all services offer some advancement to JROTC cadets (usually E-3).