JROTC = irksome...

c/Commander

c/Commander

Active member
My unit and a few others from around our area are judging a JROTC drill meet next Saturday, and I'm a bit nervous. At the VUIDM ROTC drill meet, there were a few JROTC units, and after almost a year away, I couldn't believe how angry they made me.

Don't get me wrong, it's a good program. It brings discipline and order to people's lives when they otherwise wouldn't have had it. However:

1.) MCJROTC should not wear the eagle, globe, and anchor, nor should they be allowed to wear Dress Blue Alphas. I understand that it's USMC-approved, but I had to restrain a MECEP Corporal in my unit at Villanova from chewing out a couple of the MCJROTC cadets who got a little big in their britches. Literally as well as figuratively. Seriously, what happened to height-weight standards? You're representing the service even though you're not actually a member.

2.) Your ribbons don't mean anything, don't walk past my Gunnery Sergeant talking about how you have more awards than he does. Again I'm sure I was the same way, but now I know there needs to be a little more respect for actual members of the military. (Footnote: he's retiring next year and going to be an instructor for a unit in Chicago. God I wish I could see that...)

I love you guys, but some of the things we did/do are absolutely infuriating. :)
 
You'll get stuff like this with all cadet organizations. Some senior cadets who think that they're high and mighty because they're up there in the ranks. I've seen some cadet CWO's (highest rank in the Canadian Forces NCM Corps, and therefore, the Cadet organization) try to chew out a Private in the Canadian Forces Primary Reserve. Needless to say, it did not end well for the CWO's.

Here in Canada, most Army Cadet units are affiliated with a certain Reg Force or Reserve Army unit, depending on which happens to be in the immediate area, which means that they also wear the cap badge of that unit. Therefore, you'll get a lot of 14 year old kids running around with an Infantry cap badge, thinking that they're actual soldiers, and trying to intimidate actual Infanteers. Personally, I'm with you with the 'eagle, globe, and anchor' thing...no cadet should be entitled to wear the badge until they have proven themselves worthy of it.
 
NCdt Steliga said:
I've seen some cadet CWO's (highest rank in the Canadian Forces NCM Corps, and therefore, the Cadet organization) try to chew out a Private in the Canadian Forces Primary Reserve. Needless to say, it did not end well for the CWO's.
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I've seen that done, except a Marine JROTC cadet Major tried to chew out a (real) Marine LCpl. That ended well...Lance Coolies think they run the Corps (and they basically do...)
 
In all militaries, it's the NCMs (Enlisted personnel for the non-Canadians) that actually make things work. Officers are there to sign the paperwork and lead the troops.

A c/Maj tried to jack up a LCpl...ouch. Somebody let that 'Officer' title get to their head.
 
NCdt Steliga said:
In all militaries, it's the NCMs (Enlisted personnel for the non-Canadians) that actually make things work. Officers are there to sign the paperwork and lead the troops.

A c/Maj tried to jack up a LCpl...ouch. Somebody let that 'Officer' title get to their head.
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That's how it is everywhere - NCOs do the officers' jobs; (in the Marines) the LCpls do the NCOs' jobs. One of our mids is a former LCpl; most squared away Marine I've met aside from our Gunny (who's earned a lot more of my respect than most of our officers).
 
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.
 
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?
 
If I had the option, I would be in JROTC, and I would take it to the fullest..meaning trying my best and not pissing off the instructors. Its a privilege, not a right, you shouldn't abuse it.
 
c/Commander said:
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?
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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.
 
JamesK said:
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.
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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.
 
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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.
 
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?
 
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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
 
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