I was talking with a friend today who has a son now in his second year of high school. She told me he was an enthusiastic participant in the school's ROTC program...specifically the "Raider Team", which is composed of cadets who are interested in competition involving execution of various military and physical skill events, both individual and team. As an aside, the team in question has won the Virginia State Championship several years running.
Her story brought back personal memories because I was also a high school ROTC participant, and then after graduation did the same thing during four years of college, eventually leading me to an Army commission. What ROTC did for me, especially in high school, was to provide an opportunity to excel in areas before untested. I was not an athlete...far form it, and I had transferred to a new school in another state as a sophomore, due to the separation of my parents. That traumatic event was mellowed somewhat by my ROTC instructors...one of whom sort of took me under his wing...being that he lived across the street from where we were.
As I told my friend today, her son is in good hands, and the exposure to leadership, value and ethics development, and teamwork he is receiving will go a long way helping to prepare him for what lies ahead later in life. Today, ROTC is far different from what it was when I was in high school...back when it was mostly all "military" oriented. Today, it's much more like a series of classes on leader, teamwork and character development...things sorely needed in our country as it now stands.
