From The Desk: Director JROTC US Army, Cadet Command

Brief Background:

JROTC Plus (JR+), an initiative developed between the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) and Accessions Command, is a program designed to reach middle school age students before they develop the bad habits that will limit their potential to succeed in high school.  The initial concept takes the JROTC model into the middle school in districts with unacceptable high school performance indicators....high dropout rates and low graduation rates.  NASBE and Accessions Command briefed the CSA and SEC of Educ two weeks ago and received approval for continued development and possible execution of this JR PLUS initiative.  Accessions Command has put together a working group to further develop the concept and establish a way-ahead.  Right now there are far more questions than answers on how this program will look....so any questions you have please hold them for now.

I know we have the Adopt-a-School program as outlined in our CCR 145-2, but that is an informal relationship developed between JROTC programs and their feeder middle and elementary schools.  What I am coming to realize is that, in many areas, we are already participating in school districts who are one step ahead of the JR+ initiative.  Recently at the 5th Bde Instructor Workshop, several instructors approached me with examples of middle school programs resourced and manned by the school district...programs using the JROTC model and portions of our curriculum.

What I want to know before we get deep into the working group effort is:

1)  Who has association with a school district where a middle school effort is already in place using JROTC in any form or fashion?
2)  What is the structure of the program?  Who teaches/coordinates?
Classroom/After School/Weekends?
3)  Who pays and provides resources?  Uniforms? Staffing at school district/supt level?
4)  Any summer programs for the middle school age students?
5)  Is there an enrollment link from middle school to high school JROTC?
6)  Program plus's and minus's for those programs that have been in place long enough to observe some outcomes.

NOTE:  Send all responses to the Chief of Training and Ops.

Regards,

John V. Vanderbleek
COL, IN
Director, US Army JROTC
US Army Cadet Command
Fort Monroe, VA 23651
Ph 757-788-4656 (office)
Ph 831-869-8990 (cell)
"We Motivate!"
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