JROTC Now

Many events have sparked change in the nations JROTC programs. JROTC, or Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, have shaped the American youth for generations. The national defense act is what started it all, but many things have changed since that. JROTC has a full potential to grow and get stronger, and reach out to more American teens and young adults. JROTC in the past was a great start, JROTC now is better than ever, and JROTC in the future is going to be better than anyone can imagine.
JROTC’s history is vast and rich, but it all started with the national defense act. The national defense act of 1916 states that high schools can be authorized loans of federal military equipment. “Under the provisions of the Act, high schools were

authorized the loan of federal military equipment and the assignment of active duty military personnel as instructors.” This means that high schools were now granted the ability to shape and train our future leaders of America At this point JROTC’s mission was “To prepare male teenagers for military service. These programs were looked upon as a source of enlisted recruits and officer candidates”.
Although the National Defense act started JROTC, this is not the only history of JROTC’s past. The Vitalization Act of 1964, opened JROTC up to other amenities. This act mainly “opened JROTC up to the other services and replaced most of the active duty instructors with retirees who worked for and were cost shared by the schools.” This gave retired military an option to still work with today’s youth, and help shape and become a role model to young inspiring students. This also opened up JROTC to the Navy, Marines, and Air Force branches. At this time only male cadets were allowed to be in the JROTC program.
In 1972, the first female cadets were allowed to join a JROTC program, as previously only aloud to be “sponsors”. On 1 May 1976, South Dakota State University was the first to accept women in the college ROTC program. “By May 1981, approximately 40,000 women were enrolled in college and university ROTC units throughout the United States. By May 1981, over 32,000 were enrolled in the high school units.” JROTC was still going through many changes.
In 1987 the first mission statement that still stands true today was presented, “Motivating young people to be good Americans,” This was later adapted to the moto people know today as “To motivate young people to be better citizens.”. Recently the curriculum changed, “JROTC taught combat tactics and combat weapons training, and military based tactics such as first aid. In 1990 everything took a change as a result to a curriculum change. The Curriculum dropped combat tactics and combat weapons training, and increased the focus on citizenship. As of 2005, there are 1,420 schools with JROTC programs, approximately 278,000 cadets, approximately 3,600 instructors and more than 300 schools on a waiting list to establish their own JROTC program.”
While still having its military core, JROTC’s main focus is the “moral, physical and educational uplift of American youth.” “The study of ethics, citizenship, communications, leadership, life skills and other subjects designed to prepare young men and woman to take their place in adult society, evolved as the core of the program.” More currently, “an improved student centered curriculum focusing on character building and civic responsibility” is being presented.

JROTC is still plays a strong an important role in today’s high schools. From just starting out with only 6 units in 1916, JROTC has grown up to 1,645 schools today, with at least one JROTC program in every state, and have even expanded to American schools overseas. This includes “1,600 Army units 794 Air Force units 619 Navy units, 260 Marine Corps units and, 2 Coast Guard units. “Cadet enrollment has grown to 281,000 cadets with 4,000 professional instructors in the classrooms.” Made up of only active duty and Army retirees, “the JROTC instructors serve as mentors developing the outstanding young citizens of our

country.”
Finally for the future of JROTC, JROTC programs have a lot to continue working on as they have made tremendous progress in the past 100 years.

I hope JROTC continues to grow in numbers, but also keeps its military core. What I would like in the next hundred years, is more dedicated cadets, maybe not looking for a military career but will grow up to be the next leaders of America. JROTC gives kids a purpose in life, as there unit becomes family. I hope JROTC gets the ability to explore nearby bases, and maybe even be able to have different classes that are focused on different careers. I see JROTC as becoming an important part of our next generations. And finally I would like to see that at least one year of JROTC be mandatory. JROTC is an amazing program designed to give kids structure and help them succeed later in life. These are things some kids do not have at home, some kids feel like they have nowhere to go in life. I continue to recommend JROTC to upcoming freshman and hope they will take on the roles and authority of

JROTC.
As most of this is facts and statistics, there’s nothing that will change this experience. JROTC has given me core values of discipline, structure, and learning to becoming a better citizen. JROTC’s past, present, and hope for the future has made us cadets hope and long to be future leaders. As cadets of a unit, as cadets of an organization, as cadets of a national organization, we are part of a proud tradition. We’re striving to be successful, striving to do what is right, and striving to make America better. As our history, the nation defiance act, structures us, as the present, defines us, and as our future sends us hope, let us all be the future of America, as we all follow our cadet creed. “I am loyal and patriotic. I am the future of the United States of America.”