DI A N E A . RH O D E S
It was a week of intense military operations for the 36 cadets from Hemet High School’s Air Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program who completed the Camp Falcon leadership academy at Camp Pendleton.
“The team- and confidencebuilding that happened were invaluable,” said Gevin Scott Harrison, senior aerospace science Instructor for the Hemet High cadets.
The annual event, in which 50 cadets from Lake Elsinore and Cathedral City also participated, gave the young men and women a chance to see military training and operational units performing their daily duties.
“The cadets had the opportunity to see and participate in some actual modern military training programs, including basic weapons training and combat convoy operations, where 40 cadets at a time became the personnel in a massive convoy simulator with missions behind enemy lines,” Harrison said.
Tech Sgt. Nathan Indorf, a survival evasion resistance escape instructor from the 452 AMW at March ARBA, taught basic map orientation, survival and how to affect a rescue if separated from the unit, Harrison said.
The cadets also underwent a rigorous daily fitness regimen in which they learned to push themselves beyond what they had thought were their personal limits.
Kolmn Husby, 17, has completed three years with the Bulldogs’ JROTC program and finished a U.S. Naval Academy Summer Seminar the week before attending Camp Falcon.
“Kolmn did an excellent job bringing his athletic experience to bear as athletic training officer,” Harrison said.
Husby, who was a physical training (PT) commander, said he enjoyed the team bonding and participating in group hikes, relays and obstacle courses.
“As an upcoming senior, I was in charge of leading all of the cadets through the PT exercises. My future goal is to attend the United States Naval Academy and this camp and physical education aspect helped me develop pride, teamwork and leadership,” Husby said. “The duties of the Navy and Marine Corps officers often re- quire strenuous hours and this experience taught us the importance of being physically fit and how to handle stressful situations.”
Harrison, who retired as a lieutenant colonel with the Air Force in September 2012, will begin his second year as a JROTC instructor in the fall.
Last year’s enrollment was about 190 cadets and Harrison hopes to exceed 200 for the next school year.
“Our honor guard is probably the busiest of the special teams as they have presented the nation’s colors at many special events from grand openings to services at retirement homes,” Harrison said. “The rifle team (or armed drill team) was very well received by the Commemorative Air Force Inland Empire Wing, based out of Riverside Municipal Airport, at one of their hangar events.”
The cadets often perform at school functions.
Harrison said the ROTC program is important because it introduces concepts that students may not get in other classes, like leadership, responsibility, duty, confidence and compassion.
“It really boils down to citizenship,” Harrison said. “We want our cadets to graduate and hopefully go to college. But wherever they go, we want them to leave here knowing that they all have important qualities and talents and that as good citizens they will use those qualities for good, and do so without having to be asked.”
Diane A. Rhodes is a Press-Enterprise correspondent. Reach her at [email protected]
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
JROTC cadets who participated in Camp Falcon leadership academy at Camp Pendleton in June wait to participate in a convoy simulation course.
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
Cadets from Hemet High School's JROTC participated in a leadership academy. Groups of cadets were required to read a mission and complete it within an allotted time period.
It was a week of intense military operations for the 36 cadets from Hemet High School’s Air Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program who completed the Camp Falcon leadership academy at Camp Pendleton.
“The team- and confidencebuilding that happened were invaluable,” said Gevin Scott Harrison, senior aerospace science Instructor for the Hemet High cadets.
The annual event, in which 50 cadets from Lake Elsinore and Cathedral City also participated, gave the young men and women a chance to see military training and operational units performing their daily duties.
“The cadets had the opportunity to see and participate in some actual modern military training programs, including basic weapons training and combat convoy operations, where 40 cadets at a time became the personnel in a massive convoy simulator with missions behind enemy lines,” Harrison said.
Tech Sgt. Nathan Indorf, a survival evasion resistance escape instructor from the 452 AMW at March ARBA, taught basic map orientation, survival and how to affect a rescue if separated from the unit, Harrison said.
The cadets also underwent a rigorous daily fitness regimen in which they learned to push themselves beyond what they had thought were their personal limits.
Kolmn Husby, 17, has completed three years with the Bulldogs’ JROTC program and finished a U.S. Naval Academy Summer Seminar the week before attending Camp Falcon.
“Kolmn did an excellent job bringing his athletic experience to bear as athletic training officer,” Harrison said.
Husby, who was a physical training (PT) commander, said he enjoyed the team bonding and participating in group hikes, relays and obstacle courses.
“As an upcoming senior, I was in charge of leading all of the cadets through the PT exercises. My future goal is to attend the United States Naval Academy and this camp and physical education aspect helped me develop pride, teamwork and leadership,” Husby said. “The duties of the Navy and Marine Corps officers often re- quire strenuous hours and this experience taught us the importance of being physically fit and how to handle stressful situations.”
Harrison, who retired as a lieutenant colonel with the Air Force in September 2012, will begin his second year as a JROTC instructor in the fall.
Last year’s enrollment was about 190 cadets and Harrison hopes to exceed 200 for the next school year.
“Our honor guard is probably the busiest of the special teams as they have presented the nation’s colors at many special events from grand openings to services at retirement homes,” Harrison said. “The rifle team (or armed drill team) was very well received by the Commemorative Air Force Inland Empire Wing, based out of Riverside Municipal Airport, at one of their hangar events.”
The cadets often perform at school functions.
Harrison said the ROTC program is important because it introduces concepts that students may not get in other classes, like leadership, responsibility, duty, confidence and compassion.
“It really boils down to citizenship,” Harrison said. “We want our cadets to graduate and hopefully go to college. But wherever they go, we want them to leave here knowing that they all have important qualities and talents and that as good citizens they will use those qualities for good, and do so without having to be asked.”
Diane A. Rhodes is a Press-Enterprise correspondent. Reach her at [email protected]
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
JROTC cadets who participated in Camp Falcon leadership academy at Camp Pendleton in June wait to participate in a convoy simulation course.
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
Cadets from Hemet High School's JROTC participated in a leadership academy. Groups of cadets were required to read a mission and complete it within an allotted time period.