Penn Hills NJROTC Drill Competition

The Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) fosters the growth of high-school students interested in entering an ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) program upon graduation. Many of the JROTC “cadets” have parents currently in the service or who have retired. Despite being immature, cadets gain the potential to flourish through ROTC. Under the guidance of 1st Sergeant Martin Kenderson (USMC, ret.), the cadets from Penn Hills experience military training through military classes, physical activity, and drill. One of the pivotal pieces of their experience is the Penn Hills Drill competition.

As a Midshipman at the CMU (Carnegie-Mellon University) NROTC, you can take part in judging cadets at the Drill Competition. For a cadet, it provides them with a tangible example of what they aspire to be. Witnessing “squared-away” Midshipman first hand supplies motivation to maintain the proper track as they strive toward a college ROTC program.  For a Midshipman, it presents the opportunity to be a leader and a judge; i.e. to gain first hand experience evaluating someone else’s military bearing, confidence, and knowledge. In doing so, it serves as a reflection of what a Midshipman accomplished while a member of the drill team and allows them to solidify these lessons. Ultimately, it is an enjoyable and beneficial endeavor for any Midshipman.