In 1916, the U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) was one of the world’s most significant character development and citizenship programs for youth. According to the Army ROTC website, the National Defense Act of 1916 established organized JROTC programs at public and private educational institutions.
The JROTC program shapes a better life for young adults through discipline, leadership, and service. It prepares students with skills for life and what to expect if they join the military. The VMHS JROTC Patriot Battalion has participated in four competitions this year at Wagner, Somerset, Reagan, and East Central to show off our school.
To start the year, the Patriot Battalion competed at Wagner High School, adding new cadets. Apollo Anticliff, cadet Lt. Col., said they were a little rusty after returning from summer break.
“A few newbies were a bit nervous, but they still went out there with drill, leadership and academic bowl (JLAB), physical training, and marksmanship, even though they did not come back with any trophies,” Apollo Antcliff explained.

During the second competition at Somerset High School, the Patriot Battalion’s color guard placed second. They also got first place in marksmanship and exhibition drill. They won second place for regulation drill and inspection, then third place in JLAB.
When attending the Reagan High School contest, they competed in the color guard competition and placed first. They won second place in the exhibition drill.

At the year’s final competition at East Central High School, the team started the day with physical fitness challenges. Then, they immediately rushed over to participate in an unarmed drill and inspection: regulation and exhibition. They then competed with two color guard teams: a male and a coed team. The day concluded with the JLab team earning four trophies.
As 2023 drew to a close, the Patriot Battalion cadets honored and remembered the fallen service members during Wreath Across America. “It hits home,” said Cadet Antcliff. “I want to be in the military and wreaths across America is all about remembering those who have served. But to me, it feels very calming and peaceful, and it brings me joy watching people lay wreaths on the graves of the fallen.”
What do these students want to get out of ROTC? The answers vary.

Freshman Tyler Pena stated, “My brother’s influence and my family members were in the military, mainly my brother because he did ROTC, and I want to follow in his footsteps. JROTC does help me think about myself more positively, and I’ve been able to express myself more openly. I enjoy it because I see each person in it as if I’m close to them. But I want to go into college to become a forensic scientist”.
Sophomore Joshua Padula stated, “The learning of self-discipline trying to give me some leadership skills to go into the military in the future,” Sophomore Joshua Padula said. “It mentally strengthened my mind and helped me push through some things that I didn’t think I was going to be able to take care of, so yes, absolutely, I would like to be able to join the Air Force to become a pararescue specialist.”
“I want to develop my leadership skills,” said junior Lukas Carter. “So I can join the Army. It mentally toughened me because I went through a lot of stress, but from the stress, I learned to grow. I’m going through a learning experience and enjoying the moments and I want to join the Army as an officer.”
“I joined JROTC my freshman year so that I could grow as an individual and because I saw a career in the military,”

Senior Apollo Antcliff said. “However, I joined because my entire family was in the military, and I just decided, you know… I will do this because I feel it will be cool, and it did help me grow mentally. As a freshman, I was very shy and didn’t like to talk to anyone, so it helped me expand more socially. I am also already enlisted, and right now, I’m in the reserves. Still, after high school, I plan on attending college, studying Kinesiology, and then enlisting in the Army again as a commissioned officer, which is a great place to start.”