I am printing Cadet Major Jessica Hafey's article for our newsletter.  She was represented at the Scholarship Luncheon last month by her Mother, since she was at a District Track Meet.  Even though she is just finishing her Junior year at Palmetto High School, she has already been selected to attend the U.S. Naval Academy!

April 25,2007 "My Turn' submission to Newsweek

Junior ROTC cultivates leadership, team work and camaraderie. What could be wrong with that? By Jessica Hafey. I’m an eleventh grader and JROTC cadet at Palmetto High School, Palmetto, Florida

Palmetto High School without JROTC? Hmm...my life would be a lot different. Junior ROTC was banned from high schools in San Francisco and Lowell, Massachusetts. The Coalition Against Militarism in Our Schools {CAMS) would like to see more schools ban JROTC.

JROTC has been my second home since I moved to Palmetto after living in Germany and attending German schools for 8 years. Back in Germany, I pictured my high school experience in my head many times but never with JROTC as a main focus. Now I couldn't picture my life without it.

First Sgt. Hockley has told me many times: "lf the drill doesn't do well, it's all on you, Hafey." It's my job as commander of three marching events to get everybody out to practice, and to make practice hard work and fun at the same time, so students want to be on the team. Drill develops my leadership skills. I try to make sure the younger team mates make the right decisions when confronted with the pressure of drugs, alcohol or the wrong guy. If my girls are distracted and fail to perform well, it's on me.

All the senior female cadets work together to look out for the young cadets and help guide them on the right path. First Sg1. Dixon, was talking about leadership principles in a JROTC class, said. "Showing potential leads to expectations, leads to responsibility, and leads to being a role model

This gives you the power to reach out to others and touch them deeply. Change their lives. Inspire them." I was inspired to excel by the juniors and seniors last year and by hearing about the most successful cadets who have passed through Palmetto. Living up to the best and exceeding them is my goal. This year, I teach what Iv'e learned to the new cadets entering the program so they can take the places of the seniors. We all work hard for perfection as a team - that is our common goal that holds us together, Like everyone, we have difficulties, but in the end we have a trophy that reflects our accomplishments as a team.

While the military is definitely in my future (my top college picks are the US Coast Guard Academy and the US Naval Academy), less then half of my JROTC friends are interested in joining the military. Compared to the majority of our cadets, my friends outside of JROTC are more likely to feel lost about their future plans. The goal of our JROTC instructors is to guide every cadet to a higher education. By telling us stories of both military and political leaders' greatness and success, they throw light on the path to our own dreams - and they make sure we know a college education is the way to achieve those dreams.

My JROTC instructors are like second fathers to me. They care about every thing I do my grades, my cross country and track times, my performance at drill and raider meets.

They set very high expectations of me, and I am inspired by my respect for them to achieve. When I had a running injury and couldn't train anymore, I went to First Sgt. Dixon for advice on how to treat my injury. When I was struggling to achieve the strong, confident command voice I needed to score high at drill meets, First Sgt., Hockley told me to "Go yell at a palm tree until I can hear you over here. Get loud!" I am no longer that shy, little girl who always got good grades with a comment "needs to speak up more in class."

JROTC means everything to me. It is a challenge that I seek. I have full confidence that almost every cadet at Palmetto that sticks to JROTC throughout high school will succeed anywhere he/she seeks a profession, thanks to the structure, care, and leadership education JROTC provides them.

Through JROTC, I have learned what a leader really is. "lf your actions inspire others to dream more ,learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader,--'John Quincy Adams. These words apply not only to military leadership but to leadership in any corporation, government office, or hospital. JROTC plays a significant role in guiding young people to set good examples and high goals, to be team players and leaders, and to live by the ethics of a cadet: "Do not lie, cheat, or steal. nor tolerate those who do." If we banish JROTC, we lose a critical opportunity to encourage and inspire the youth of our nation to become great leaders - no matter what profession they choose.

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Jerry Neff