Junior Reserve Officers Training Corp; (JROTC) - The Army's Service to America

“To Motivate Young people to be Better Citizens”

The JROTC Vision: is to provide a quality citizenship, character, and leadership development program, while fostering partnerships with communities and educational institutions.

History: The United States Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) came into being with the passage of the National Defense Act of 1916. 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. In 1964, the Vitalization Act 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.

Title 10 of the U.S. Code declares that "the purpose of Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps is to instill in students in United States secondary educational institutions the value of citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment."

The JROTC Program has changed greatly over the years. Once looked upon primarily as a source of enlisted recruits and officer candidates, it became a citizenship program devoted to the moral, physical and educational uplift of American youth. Although the program retained its military structure and the resultant ability to infuse in its student cadets a sense of discipline and order, it shed most of its early military content.

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 recently, an improved student centered curriculum focusing on character building and civic responsibility is being presented in every JROTC classroom.

JROTC is a continuing success story. From a modest beginning of 6 units in 1916, JROTC has expanded to 1645 schools today and to every state in the nation and American schools overseas. Cadet enrollment has grown to 281,000 cadets with 4,000 professional instructors in the classrooms. Comprised solely of active duty Army retirees, the JROTC instructors serve as mentors developing the outstanding young citizens of our country.

What JROTC is not... Cadets are organized into units along military lines and are taught by Retired military personnel, but  the JROTC does not recruit students for active military service. Instead, its focus is on developing young people and orienting them positively in preparation for whatever role in life they might choose. It is in this sense that JROTC is part of the Army's service to the nation.

For additional information regarding the Army guidelines, and structure of the JROTC program visit: https://www.usarmyjrotc.com/

Also feel free to contact 1SG (R) Ervin L. Turner, at 626-799-1923, or email jrotc430117@aol.com.