FAQs

Who is eligible to join NJROTC?

All high school students in the GUHSD School System are eligible to enroll, regardless of their school district.

Home schooled students are also eligible to participate

Do I have to become a full time Governor Thomas Johnson High School Student?

You do not have to be a full time Apollo student to attend the program.  If you elect to remain at your home school and only attend the NJROTC class, you have two transportation options.  1) If able, the parent or student can drive to Apollo for the single NJROTC class and return to their home school.  Depending on distance the student may lose a class period for travel time.  2)  Students my use the CTC bus to get from their home school to T.J. for half the day, am or pm.  They would then take one naval science class and one other academic class at T.J.

How can I join?

To join, all you have to do is register for naval science 1, with your counselor, or talk to our SNSI/NSI.

Do I have to wear a uniform?

All cadets are required to wear the issued uniform once a week during the semester they are attending class.  Some NJROTC field trips also require uniforms.

When will I get my uniform?

If you are in a seated Naval Science class during the Fall semester, you will receive it within the first 2 weeks of class.  If you are a Spring semester cadet but can’t wait to start looking good, look for an e-mail or calendar update that will announce an out of semester uniform issue day. This time will consist of the physical issue of all items as well as instruction on the care and wear of our uniforms.

Do I have to cut my hair?

When wearing the NJROTC uniform, all male cadets will need to comply with grooming standards that include haircuts limiting length and thickness.  Beards are not allowed.  All female cadets will need to follow grooming standards that includes keeping the hair off of the collar. Unusual hair color or styles are not allowed.

Is there an obligation to join the military?

There is no obligation to join the military service.  We are not recruiters.

Do I have to join an NJROTC team?

All NJROTC teams are extra-curricular, therefore not required.  However team participation does increase self-discipline, leadership opportunities, and a sense of esprit de corps. The most successful cadets, in terms of leadership and scholarship potential, are members of 1 or more NJROTC teams.

Why am I required to have a school physical?

All cadets participate in weekly physical fitness training.  This includes calisthenics, a fitness test, team sports, and other fun ways to promote fitness.  All cadets are required to complete a school physical each school year so we can assess their ability to complete rigorous physical activities safely.  Students who get a physical for sports can use the same for NJROTC.

But I only have the class one semester…can I participate on teams or field trips when not in class?

Regardless of your home school or what semester you are in a Naval Science course, we are a year round program, and cadets can participate in all teams and events year round.  This can be more challenging for our Spring semester cadets, and especially Spring & out of district cadets.  To ensure you don’t miss out on all we have to offer, please check the unit website often.  We use the monthly newsletter, news section of the website and various social media platforms to keep everyone as up to date as possible.