The members of the Harford County Board of Education voted unanimously Monday in favor of submitting an application to the Army to get Harford County Public Schools' first Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, or JROTC, unit, although limited federal funding means it could take several years to get the program started.
The JROTC program is a cooperative effort between the Army and school systems across the country, as well as military bases overseas, in which retired officers and non-commissioned officers provide military-style training to high school students and teach them from a curriculum that includes subjects such as leadership, geography, civics, health and history.
Sending the application to the 4th Brigade of the Army Cadet Command in Fort Bragg, N.C., was approved as part of the school board's consent agenda Monday.
Board member Jansen Robinson stressed after the meeting that JROTC is not simply about recruiting high schoolers for the military, but teaching students leadership, self-discipline and organizational skills.
He said employers and colleges seek "the kind of skill set you gain in ROTC," a notion with which his board colleague Robert Frisch concurred.
"[JROTC cadets] become really sought-after individuals, and we should be able to give our students a leg up," Frisch said.
Community supporters of Joppatowne High School have been lobbying HCPS officials to establish the program at Joppatowne High, as JROTC could dovetail with the school's Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Program, a signature program offered to students in the school's attendance area.
Adam Shellenbarger, pastor at Joppatowne Christian Church, and a supporter of the high school, encouraged board members to support bringing a JROTC program to that school. He said he has also discussed the matter with various county government officials.
"We at Joppatowne High School and the Joppatowne community would stand firmly behind the JRTOC program," he said during the public comment portion of the board meeting.
School officials acknowledge it could take several years for the Army to review and approve Harford County's application, as the military has not set aside funding for new JROTC programs. There are 1,731 units in the U.S. and at overseas bases, according to board meeting documents.
Jeff Brock, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and chairman of the school system's JROTC committee, told board members during their April 11 meeting that there are more than 240 school systems on the waiting list for programs.
"Until the [federal] budget increases, no additional units will be added," Brock said, citing federal budget sequestration as a major factor in curtailing program funding.
He encouraged school officials to submit an application, regardless of a potential three- to five-year wait, because "without a ticket to the dance, you aren't allowed to enter the dance."
Brock, who is the former president of Susquehanna Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, noted former military officers serve as leaders and mentors for the students. He said workers at Aberdeen Proving Ground can volunteer to help "prepare citizens to be better citizens and leaders."
"These traits will help our students succeed in the future and enable them to become tomorrow's leaders," Brock said.
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