Ads by Google Ads by Google

Best JROTC cadets gather for skills camp

A one week training camp is going on at this time for Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) cadets from the high schools around the territory, with the JROTC program pulling together all of the skills that the cadets have learned throughout the school year.

 

The camp began this past Monday at Kanana Fou and on Tuesday it took place at Tafuna High School. Yesterday, the cadets met at Utulei Beach Park where they learned water survival techniques. Other training during the camp will focus on land navigation, using the lensatic compass, pace count, first aid and the air rifle.

 

“We have brought together the best cadets from all of the five schools that have JROTC. We pulled them together with approximately 20 from each school,” said Senior Instructor at Leone High School, Command Sergeant Major Thomas Bruce. “They will train for the full week, where they will get to know each other from the other schools. They will mix and exercise leadership through a different leadership team everyday. More than half of the students will get a leadership position through the course of this camp,” he said.

 

“This is a really good thing for the kids that they can use in the future when they go to college, or go to the Senior ROTC program, or if they decide to go into the armed forces. No matter what they do in life, this stuff can help them,” said CSM Bruce.

 

Yesterday, the cadets spent the day in the water, where they learned about ‘flotation devices’ using the Army Combat Uniform as taught by the JROTC Instructor, while the American Samoa Aquatics Agency (ASAA) worked with the cadets, showing them how to survive by floating and treading water.

 

Kanana Fou High School is hosting the camp, and that is where the cadets are working on land navigation, pace count and the lensatic compass. Today, they will meet back at Kanana Fou, where there will be a sports day. Faga’itua, Samoana, Tafuna, Kanana Fou and Leone High Schools are all taking part in this exercise.

 

Samoa News had a chance to speak with some of the cadets. “I think this is great. I wish there were more kids taking JROTC to help them with their discipline and attitude,” said one.

 

“I'm having a great time. The water training is one of the biggest challenges that the JROTC Cadets here in American Samoa have,” another cadet told Samoa News.