An active-duty sailor begins his inspection of one of the platoons.
Photo by Steve Ranson.
For more than two hours on Nov. 13, Churchill County High School students enrolled in the Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) rattled off their military knowledge as well as displaying their marching skills before the program’s Area 22 Citizenship Development manager.
Active-duty sailors from Naval Air Station Fallon also conducted the in-ranks inspection for the four platoons consisting of students from grades 9-12, while student leaders provided a detailed presentation on their program to retired Command Master Chief Ken Ballard, a 26-year Navy veteran.
This is the second CCHS inspection Ballard has conducted. His first visit came earlier this year but in a different school year. Ballard said he’s impressed with the improvement the JROTC students have shown since late February. The students’ professionalism stood out for Ballard.
“I really don't think too many people outside a Junior ROTC program understand the level of commitment and dedication,” he said. “They work hard to be good with their responsibilities.”
Prior to becoming the area’s Citizenship Development manager, Ballard had also taught NJROTC and Edward Clark High School in Las Vegas. He measured what he inspected in February to his post-Veterans Day observations.
“It’s definitely an improvement from last year,” he said of the program. “I met with the cadets last year, and we had a discussion about their area of improvement.”
Ballard’s insight and comments resonated with one of the students. He said a cadet walked up to him after last week’s inspection.
“He asked me what I think,” Ballard said, smiling.
From the very first briefing from the student commander to the pass-in-review, Ballard learned what the students had done so far this school year and what awaits them next semester. Lt. Cmdr. Keileene Kato, who assumed command in May, said the JROTC program is student led.
“We aim for cadets to step up and show their leadership skills,” she said. “The instructors provide the guidance and help when needed.”
Kato said the JROTC program ensures cadets are not only leaders to the other students but also to themselves.
“If you can’t be a leader toward yourself, how can you be a leader to other people as well and to help them out,” she said.
Another mark of a leader, she said, is a cadet who gives commands, but one who can also follow others in the chain of command.
In addition to improving their leadership skills, the students also volunteer at their school and with community projects. Cadet Lt. Junior Grade Tyler Mackuliak said the CCSH JROTC students volunteer their time at football games, track meets, wrestling tournaments and new student tours. Cadets also provide the pageantry with the crowning of the homecoming queen and king.
The cadets have also been active in the community by assisting the Fallon Lions Club with their annual yard sale, the Churchill Animal Protection society and the Love Fallon event, which encourages people and groups to volunteer their time for a Saturday morning during the spring and help beautify the city and county.
Ballard said no two NJROTC programs and school are alike. In addition to CCHS, he conducts visits to Carson and Reed high schools, both schools that have twice the student population as Fallon’s.
“They are high-performance schools,” the area manager pointed out.
Because the Carson High School program is so large, he said the program has its own compound.
“It’s almost like a naval base at Carson City,” said Ballard, who visits 30 NJROTC programs in his area. “Reed has a strong program. They are good schools but they have their own strengths and areas of improvement.”
Once he conducts the inspections and talks to the cadets and instructors, Ballard will review his notes and conversations with numerous people and then write his report.
“More importantly, a lot of my evaluation is written for an audience of principals, superintendents and the leaders around here who support the school,” he added.
Ballard, though, said Fallon has a built-in strength compared to other high schools. He said Fallon is a military town with a support system of active-duty sailors who help with key event.
“It’s nice to see the school taking advantage of the relationships they have with the local military population,” he said.
Both instructors are also new to CCHS this year, and retired Lt. Cmdr. Jason Bardin and retired Master Chief Petty Officer (MCPO) James Walker expressed their satisfaction with the inspection.
Bardin said practicing for Ballard’s inspection may have seem hectic, but once the review began, the students shined.
“They showed up and they always do when you give them guidance and direction,” Bardin said, adding the cadets were amazing. “A lot of the credit goes to the platoon commander. They work very hard. You (platoon leaders) don’ have to choose their platoons, but they (the cadets) choose them because of the schedule.”
Bardin complimented the platoon leaders and expressed “high hopes” they will continue to improve as the school year continues.”
Going into the inspection, the cadets had also practiced their marching before an audience. They were one of a half-dozen JROTC groups who participated in the annual Virginia City Veterans Day Parade.
“We had close to 100% participation,” Bardin said of the cadets marching in the Comstock. “Now, we’re looking forward to an upcoming trip to NAS Fallon.”
The spring semester will be a busy one for the Fallon cadets. Bardin said the students will enter three or four drill competitions and attended a drill meet in Carson City on Feb. 8. Later in the school year, he said the students will travel to San Diego where they will also tour the USS Midway, a famous aircraft carrier from World War II.