Gaffney High JROTC selected

By SCOTT POWELLLedger Staff Writer

Gaffney High JROTC members prepare to leave for a color guard appearance at Friday’s Limestone College graduation ceremony.

The Gaffney High Air Force JROTC has been selected to receive the National Distinguished Unit Award for the third straight year.

This award recognizes Air Force Junior ROTC units that have distinguished themselves with outstanding service to their school and community. Only 200 of the 746 Junior ROTC high school units nationwide receive the award.

“This has been a great year. I’m very proud of what we accomplished this year. We all worked as a team and were able to get this big award,” group commander Bobby Wease said. “We don’t want to just meet goals. We want to exceed them. By working together as a team, we want to motivate our JROTC members to be successful and do their best everywhere in life.”

Gaffney High JROTC instructor Chief Master Sergeant Randall Byars received the Outstanding Instructor Award. It is based on the accomplishment of unit goals and an annual evaluation report.

The JROTC program’s objectives are to educate and train high school cadets in citizenship; life skills; promote community service; develop responsibility, character and self-discipline through character education; and provide instruction in air and space fundamentals.

Distinguished unit awards are goal-based evaluations where JROTC units strive to achieve goals in areas such as citizenship, physical fitness and academics.

The Gaffney High School JROTC unit was named the state Adopt-A-Highway group of the year for the second straight year. The unit also met goals of having a low failure rate among ninth grade students and seeing all JROTC members run a mile in less than 13 minutes.

Several JROTC members have attended summer leadership camps at The Citadel and Fort Jackson in Columbia.