by Michael Tharrington.
Marching around campus in their Air Force uniforms every Thursday, the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) follows a strict disciplinary, dress and academic code. Col. Willis’ group is required to dress severy Thursday in their uniforms. Girls’ hair cannot touch their collar, no more than three rings and must have navy blue hose. Boys’ hair cannot touch or go past their eyebrows.
Col. Wills is teaches his 105 students from the “Exploration of Space” textbook. This is natural to Wills because the time he spent tracking and launching satellites for television, cell phones and NASA in the Air Force. Every year the topic in ROTC changes.
“I am teaching space and Sergeant is teaching life after high school. Next year, we will teach Survival and Cultural Studies along with Air Force history,” Wills said.
Four times a year, JROTC members participate in highway clean up on Reynolds road, assist the Chamber of Commerce with festivals and work at the Boys and Girls club and soup kitchens.
JROTC has its own drill team that competes in competitions. They were at Lake DeGray Feb. 11th participating in a map reading completion. Next month JROTC will travel to North Little Rock to compete in a drill meet against 20 other schools in the area.
