Army JROTC Coming to WCHS
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
The Warsaw School Board approved the program at its meeting Monday night.
Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz said Chief Academics Officer David Hoffert and WCHS Principal Troy Akers were actively involved in making it happen and that it’s a competitive process to get a JROTC program.
Hoffert said in the past year, Warsaw applied to all military branches except the Coast Guard for a program. The best hope was to get one in place within three to four years.
The Marines and Air Force made site visits and were “very, very positive,” Hoffert said, but both military branches said that due to government funding cuts, a subsidized program could not be offered at this time.
Ten days ago, Akers received a phone call from the Army saying they had a program waiting for WCHS if it was started in fall 2013.
Hoffert said they asked why Warsaw was chosen, and they were told there currently are 450 schools on the waiting list, and if WCHS wasn’t interested, the Army would find another school that was. Schools are ranked on a priority basis, and Warsaw was placed at the top of the Army’s list.
If Warsaw were to wait a year to implement the program, Hoffert said, they were told the program would be given to someone else and Warsaw wouldn’t get another chance.
Akers said once the Army offered its program, the question became where at the high school it would be housed. The Army gave WCHS pre-approval for the program without a site visit.
The JROTC would require large classroom space for curriculum and target range, office space for instructors, storage for uniforms and equipment, and indoor and outdoor drill areas. When an instructor visited WCHS a week ago, Akers said he was impressed with the outside space.
There’s plenty of gym space and the exercise facilities “would challenge any in the state of Indiana,” Akers said. He’s also confident WCHS can provide the necessary classroom space.
The Army will provide all the program’s uniforms, technology, curriculum, office supplies, air rifles and targets. Akers said Warsaw may have to provide some technology support.
Any facility renovations needed would have to come out of Warsaw’s capital projects fund. Akers said the school has a surplus of desks and chairs.
The program requires two instructors – one must be hired by July 31, and the second by Aug. 2. Half of the base pay would be provided for the officer and enlisted instructor by the Army on a yearly basis, and Warsaw Schools would have to pay the other half.
Schools employing JROTC instructors must pay the “minimum instructor pay,” and guarantee a 10-, 11- or 12-month contract. Hoffert said the MIP for an instructor at the highest level would be $3,970 monthly, with the Army picking up half of that.
Hoffert said the instructor is hired and fired by the school system and is considered a school system employee. An instructor has to be someone of “strong moral character,” retired with a ranking of E/6 to O/6, have a clean civilian and military record, meet the physical fitness requirements and have an excellent military service record.
The military is very proud of what its curriculum looks like, Hoffert indicated. It includes physical education, history, personal finance, service learning, character development, career planning, marksmanship, SAT and ACT prep, and science, technology, engineering and math.
“The military puts lots of emphasis on their STEM education,” he said.
In the first year, Akers said they hope to have more than 100 students partake in the program. It will promote character, citizenship and service in Warsaw schools, he said. The JROTC improves school attendance and graduation rates, reduces discipline problems and the drop-out rate and increases grade point averages, he stated.
“It’s just an outstanding program,” Akers said.
The Army was really high on Warsaw targeting freshmen and sophomores, Akers said, but in the first year it also can include juniors and seniors.
“We’re hoping to grow and develop this program,” he said.
Lt. Col. David Farlow, the JROTC instructor at Marion High School, told the board that implementation of the program at MHS was the greatest thing the school has done. In its second year, it has changed lives.
“It’s a great curriculum that can help young people become better citizens,” Farlow stated.
Some of the students do go on to military careers after the four-year program, but most don’t, he said.
Board member Dan Metzger said he heard that if a student completes the JROTC program and then completes basic training, the student comes out at a higher pay grade in the Army. Farlow said that was correct, but the increase is dependent on such factors as number of years in the program.
The basic challenge JROTC students have to overcome, Farlow said, is that the instructors are different from other teachers. The only way in the classroom is the Army way.
There is a dress code. Students are responsible for their conduct, and it is a volunteer program. Students need to be willing to participate in the physical education part of the program.
JROTC programs become like a family, Farlow said, and it’s attractive to kids who aren’t in sports or clubs. It becomes a place for them to go.
There is no cost to students or parents to be in the program, and uniforms are provided. Uniforms are required to be worn one day a week. “About 5 percent will exit (the program) because they don’t want to do the uniform,” Farlow stated.
By the time the JROTC gets to its fourth year, he said it will have about 20 percent of its base cohort. However, new kids join up every year.
The class is designed for a 40-minute period.
Hintz said with board approval, Warsaw will know in about two weeks how many students are interested in taking part in the program. It will need at least 80 students in the first year, with more required in the following years.
With the approval of the Army JROTC program at WCHS, Warsaw will drop its applications to the other military branches for similar programs.[[In-content Ad]]
The Warsaw School Board approved the program at its meeting Monday night.
Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz said Chief Academics Officer David Hoffert and WCHS Principal Troy Akers were actively involved in making it happen and that it’s a competitive process to get a JROTC program.
Hoffert said in the past year, Warsaw applied to all military branches except the Coast Guard for a program. The best hope was to get one in place within three to four years.
The Marines and Air Force made site visits and were “very, very positive,” Hoffert said, but both military branches said that due to government funding cuts, a subsidized program could not be offered at this time.
Ten days ago, Akers received a phone call from the Army saying they had a program waiting for WCHS if it was started in fall 2013.
Hoffert said they asked why Warsaw was chosen, and they were told there currently are 450 schools on the waiting list, and if WCHS wasn’t interested, the Army would find another school that was. Schools are ranked on a priority basis, and Warsaw was placed at the top of the Army’s list.
If Warsaw were to wait a year to implement the program, Hoffert said, they were told the program would be given to someone else and Warsaw wouldn’t get another chance.
Akers said once the Army offered its program, the question became where at the high school it would be housed. The Army gave WCHS pre-approval for the program without a site visit.
The JROTC would require large classroom space for curriculum and target range, office space for instructors, storage for uniforms and equipment, and indoor and outdoor drill areas. When an instructor visited WCHS a week ago, Akers said he was impressed with the outside space.
There’s plenty of gym space and the exercise facilities “would challenge any in the state of Indiana,” Akers said. He’s also confident WCHS can provide the necessary classroom space.
The Army will provide all the program’s uniforms, technology, curriculum, office supplies, air rifles and targets. Akers said Warsaw may have to provide some technology support.
Any facility renovations needed would have to come out of Warsaw’s capital projects fund. Akers said the school has a surplus of desks and chairs.
The program requires two instructors – one must be hired by July 31, and the second by Aug. 2. Half of the base pay would be provided for the officer and enlisted instructor by the Army on a yearly basis, and Warsaw Schools would have to pay the other half.
Schools employing JROTC instructors must pay the “minimum instructor pay,” and guarantee a 10-, 11- or 12-month contract. Hoffert said the MIP for an instructor at the highest level would be $3,970 monthly, with the Army picking up half of that.
Hoffert said the instructor is hired and fired by the school system and is considered a school system employee. An instructor has to be someone of “strong moral character,” retired with a ranking of E/6 to O/6, have a clean civilian and military record, meet the physical fitness requirements and have an excellent military service record.
The military is very proud of what its curriculum looks like, Hoffert indicated. It includes physical education, history, personal finance, service learning, character development, career planning, marksmanship, SAT and ACT prep, and science, technology, engineering and math.
“The military puts lots of emphasis on their STEM education,” he said.
In the first year, Akers said they hope to have more than 100 students partake in the program. It will promote character, citizenship and service in Warsaw schools, he said. The JROTC improves school attendance and graduation rates, reduces discipline problems and the drop-out rate and increases grade point averages, he stated.
“It’s just an outstanding program,” Akers said.
The Army was really high on Warsaw targeting freshmen and sophomores, Akers said, but in the first year it also can include juniors and seniors.
“We’re hoping to grow and develop this program,” he said.
Lt. Col. David Farlow, the JROTC instructor at Marion High School, told the board that implementation of the program at MHS was the greatest thing the school has done. In its second year, it has changed lives.
“It’s a great curriculum that can help young people become better citizens,” Farlow stated.
Some of the students do go on to military careers after the four-year program, but most don’t, he said.
Board member Dan Metzger said he heard that if a student completes the JROTC program and then completes basic training, the student comes out at a higher pay grade in the Army. Farlow said that was correct, but the increase is dependent on such factors as number of years in the program.
The basic challenge JROTC students have to overcome, Farlow said, is that the instructors are different from other teachers. The only way in the classroom is the Army way.
There is a dress code. Students are responsible for their conduct, and it is a volunteer program. Students need to be willing to participate in the physical education part of the program.
JROTC programs become like a family, Farlow said, and it’s attractive to kids who aren’t in sports or clubs. It becomes a place for them to go.
There is no cost to students or parents to be in the program, and uniforms are provided. Uniforms are required to be worn one day a week. “About 5 percent will exit (the program) because they don’t want to do the uniform,” Farlow stated.
By the time the JROTC gets to its fourth year, he said it will have about 20 percent of its base cohort. However, new kids join up every year.
The class is designed for a 40-minute period.
Hintz said with board approval, Warsaw will know in about two weeks how many students are interested in taking part in the program. It will need at least 80 students in the first year, with more required in the following years.
With the approval of the Army JROTC program at WCHS, Warsaw will drop its applications to the other military branches for similar programs.[[In-content Ad]]
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