If you are like most people, you may not know what Brewster NJROTC cadets do other than present the colors at the football games in fancy uniforms. NJROTC is an elective offered every day for all BHS students, all year long. Cadets learn important leadership skills and about what life is like on a ship, along with the Navy’s elaborate skill-set. But there is so much more to JROTC than what we learn in the classroom. There are special teams and opportunities for every JROTC student to show off their unique skills, in addition to Annual Inspection.
Let’s start with the team you see the most, the Color Guard. This four person team (which can be up to seven) presents the flags at all the football games and parades. In the past, the Color Guard has been to Walt Disney World’s Main Street and to New York City! They even compete in Color Guard competitions against other schools.
Next up is the Drill Team. The NSI Drill Team is the heart and soul of the freshman NJROTC students. Commanded by Kevin Cantoral, it’s the largest team in recent memory at BHS. In November they competed in the NJROTC Drill Competition at Bethel High School and placed fourth overall, one of the first drill meets Brewster has been to in years. Other schools were very impressed, and intimidated, by what Brewster could do.
Additionally ,we now have a new team: the NJROTC Drone Team! These excellent pilots learn how to fly and maneuver Navy drones through obstacles and race other challengers from different units. Drone competitions are individual events, not team activities. Michael Rusinko placed first and Phillip Ostojic placed third at the competition.
Aside from JROTC fun and exciting teams, we also serve the community. We volunteer at the Brewster VFW and help with their annual Pancake Breakfasts. Recently we have reached out to the Put Lake VFW to help them. In the past we have conducted multiple food drives to benefit the community and troops and collected over 30 pounds of candy for Treats for Troops.
Another team we have is CyberPatriot where members learn about cybersecurity and how to secure online systems and prevent hacking. Members learn about career skills in STEM, and putting students in charge of securing virtual networks, a program designed by the Air Force.
JROTC cadets also have special events such as the Military Ball, a unique end of the year celebration where all cadets from NJROTC gather and eat, sing, and dance. This celebration is open only to JROTC cadets (unless you are invited as someone’s date) and is basically an elite prom.
NJROTC cadets will use the skills they have learned in this class for the rest of their lives. I have taken this class for four years now, and the skills I have learned help me with my other activities, my job, and school. I have grown to be more confident and have a wide variety of leadership skills to use. If you’d like to join us, contact your guidance counselor today!