Originally Posted by c/Commander

Did someone make you join JROTC, or did you piss off a Gunnery Sergeant (use the full title, you haven't earned the right to say Gunny unless they tell you that you have) just for the fun of it?

Well good sir the GUNNY told us to call her that. YES I was told to. The school recommended it to my parents over gym to try to build "Discipline". Because gym or JROTC are required classes. When she started to single me out, doing things such as when me and another boy got in an arguement she would take me instead of him out in the hall and start yelling at me infront of the class, then she would make me do 5 pushups but that never bothered me none its just the fact it was a class. Or she would make me stay after school because I didnt remember some motto when half the class didnt even know it. Now i can understand this is regular in the military but its HIGHSCHOOL. Now I was fine with our Major. He was a good guy. So dont talk down to me when you dont know the extent of the situation.

Originally Posted by JamesK

When I was in highschool we had a choice of either going to gym and getting yelled at by a very overweight coach who didnt do anything him self but sit on his arse, or could go to the Marine Corps JROTC. I had alot of fun there. Specially pissing off the Gunney, it was a huge joke. I didnt shine my boots good enough you see? So my squad didnt like me. So we scored low. The students with a higher rank use to try to chew me out, then I'd just respond with this "You know who I hang with outside of this classroom, now do you really think if you said this outside of here you would get away with all your teeth? Braces or not?" that would shut them up. Then I use to have fun with our somehow shell shocked Gunney, when I use respond to HER when she was chewing me out as so "YES PINEAPPLE SERGEANT SIR!" that infuriated her and I would receive a few day suspension as a result. Do away with JROTC, keep ROTC for college in my opinion.

So, you used threats of violence to get your seniors to keep quiet whenever they would try to jack you up for not having your boots shiny enough? On top of that, you consistently disrespected your Gunnery Sergeant? Now, while I understand that JROTC is nothing more than a few kids who want to play military (no offence to those in it, as I was a cadet myself) and maybe join the real thing someday. However, a senior rank is a senior rank. Chances are, they did something to earn that rank. Just remember...respect the rank first, and then the person. Not the other way around.

JROTC (and cadet programs in general) are a really good idea when implemented properly and staffed by people that actually care. I've seen too many units where both the staff and the cadets are there just as a time occupier, and not there because they actually want to be.

I'm onboard Kings Bay right now for a week for a submarine/nuclear propulsion familiarization, and guess who else is here? Yep, the NJROTC leadership academy! Lots of really fun retired Gunnys, Sergeant Majors and everything in between (and some cadets who just got a taste of power - it's fun, isn't it? ) yelling at some poor bastards who volunteered for a week in the 99-degree heat that is Kings Bay.

God, I love my job.

Stupid kids....

You're rather grumpy. I'm just wondering why they held it at one of the most classified places on the East Coast.

And why they felt the need to muster right outside my BOQ at 0430 this morning.

And why they get that "salute me" look in their eye whenever a mid walks by.

It seems like a good program, though - a little like our INDOC.

I would hope that your opinion of the entire program wasn't based solely on a few experiences with select groups of cadets. I am currently an AFJROTC cadet, one of 100,000 world-wide. You are correct in saying that alot of the cadets get cocky - they're excited to be excelling, and earning ribbons and medals and rank. Fact of the matter is a High School Freshman is generally too naive to understand the differance between his or her 27 ribbons, and the Senior Airmans 6 or the Chiefs 16. We're still kids by all means, but there are a few good ones around.

Since this thread started about 1 year ago... Has your opinion changed any about this subject?

My last experience with JROTC was about two weeks ago (and this was the first since the one aboard SUBASE). It culminated in a c/LCDR talking back to a USMC captain and Bronze Star (w/ V) awardee, and calling our (midshipman) Battalion XO gay. I understand that these kids aren't in the military, but if the program doesn't breed good order and discipline, what's the point of military structure and leadership?

It's really upsetting when I hear and see things like this. These cadets haven't done sh*t for the country, yet they act like they do because they wear the uniform. Another thing that bothers me is cadets who are out of reg, long hair, braided hair, earings, ect. Is it that difficult to wear the uniform properly and honor those who have worn it in the past, present, and future?

I find myself agreeing with only half of all this. I agree that you shouldn't be talking back to actual military and they deserve all respect but i also believe that JROTC in general is a great program. I've only in my life had one bad experience with military and i will put how it went honestly

It was a football honorguard and i have to post people in places to stop kids from going into certain areas. well 4 kids were taunting this new freshmen girl and i told them to knock it off. this girl walked up (couldn't tell it was a girl had short hair and wore and acted like a guy) and told them that if i touched them they could sue me, she never stated she was an army corporal. so my commander comes up sense i was 1st sgt and starts yellin at me and the girl says if i touch her again she would break my arm i looked at her and him turned to the girl behind me and asked did i touch her and she told them no. but i was still in trouble. moral is ya JROTC has some bad But some good and we should not forget that. Some people join the military for bad reasons they only want college money and don't care about this country they want to kill people . there are great soldiers and unfortunately theres always the other side. the thing is to remember that there is good if we try to look for it