Gaffney High JROTC honored for distinguished service
Cadets completed 2,150 hours of community service through May 6
By SCOTT POWELL Ledger Staff Writer spowell@gaffneyledger.com

The Gaffney High Air Force JROTC received the Distinguished Unit Award in May for the sixth 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 country's 870 JRTOC units receive the honor.

JROTC programs train high school cadets to develop their citizenship, leadership skills, character, self-discipline and provide instruction in air and space fundamentals.

"Our goal is to build better citizenship by keeping our cadets involved in the community," Lt. Col. Morris Miller said. "This was the youngest leadership group we've had since I've been here. We had a lot of juniors who took on senior leadership roles and helped push our JROTC unit to excel this year."

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

Distinguished Unit Awards are goal-based evaluations where JROTC units work to achieve goals in areas such as citizenship, physical fitness and academics.

Gaffney High JROTC did not meet its goal for a ninth grade failure rate below 17 percent. This is the only goal the school's JROTC program did not achieve this school year.

"Efforts to maintain high academic standards, while coping with significant increases in academically atrisk cadets fell short of a challenging goal," Miller said. "Redoubled efforts to implement intense, one-onone tutoring program by Kitty Hawk Air Society members are producing successes in the second semester."

The Gaffney High JROTC unit increased membership in the Kitty Hawk Air Society from eight to 21 new members this school year. Cadets meeting the Air Force JROTC physical fitness requirements jumped from 43 percent in 2007 to 81 percent this year. Cadets completed 2,150 hours of community service through May 6 volunteering with the Special Olympics, Salvation Army, March of Dimes, Toys for Tots, parades and Adopt-A-Highway.