Fallbrook Marine Corps JROTC cadets wrap up another year

FALLBROOK – The Fallbrook High School Marine Corps JROTC academic and leadership program wrapped up its third successful year by placing in the top 3% of over 3,000 JROTC programs nationwide in the Leadership and Academic Team competition held in Washington.

The cadet participants received personal letters of congratulations and support from former Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff retired Gen. Colin Powell.

The second annual Intramural Drill Meet competition between the school's platoons ended recently. Cadets by platoon and as individuals participated in a series of physical and knowledge based competitions. In one competition, cadets were grilled under pressure by drill instructors from Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego with questions on military knowledge and graded on military bearing, knowledge and drill.

"Some cadets loved the pressure of having an active duty drill instructor in their face. Some shook in their boots. But they all held up and made us proud. Many of them now feel like, 'if I can do that, I can do pretty much anything.' The cadets grow as individuals who now see themselves as stronger than they thought and as someone able to support others. That's the point," retired Lt. Col. William Wade, one of the school's senior Marine instructors, said.

According to student Company Commander Audrey Gillcrist, while the top individual drill winner award went to Cadet Lance Cpl. Michael Nolen, and the overall drill meet winner was the Third Platoon, all the cadets got so much out the competition. After each inspection, the cohesive student groups would gather and compare their new "war stories."

Retired Master Sgt. Brian Richardson, one of the school's military instructors, said, "At a divisive time in our country's political and social history, these cadets bond as a group that doesn't see race, gender, or economic background – they see each other as part of their team, someone has their back and they have theirs. Barriers are broken down and cadets and community are built up."

This year a mud crawl was added to the end of challenging physical fitness course. The cadets were mentally and physically depleted at that point, their commanders said, but the cadets knew they had to finish for the team. After a cadet finished, they were allowed to go back and encourage teammates by crawling through the mud with them to cheer them on or literally help pull their teammate through the mud.

"It's hard to put together a better lesson than that on character and achieving success together," Richardson said.

Submitted by Fallbrook High School Marine Corps JROTC.