- Isn't JROTC just for students interested in the Military service?
- Does it cost much to be in JROTC?
- Do I have to wear that Army uniform at Lakeside?
- What advantage does taking JROTC have if one does go into the Military?
- Does a student have to be a Freshman to start out in a JROTC course?
- Will a job or other commitment after school keep me from being in JROTC?
- Will I get academic credit for taking a JROTC course?
- Are the JROTC instructors active military or regular teachers?
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Isn't JROTC just for students interested in the Military service?
JROTC is not just for students planning to enter the military. The majority
of JROTC students never enter the military directly. The course provides a
lot of useful information about" Uncle Sam's" Military Forces, but the real
result of taking this elective in High School is to teach or refine your
leadership, teamwork, and communication skills and help young people to
become better citizens. The course also provides many opportunities to
compete on a high school team with the 4 teams sponsored by JROTC. They are:
The Drill Team, The Color Guard, The Raider (Adventure Training Team), and
the Precision Air Rifle Team (GHSA sponsored team also open to non-JROTC
enrolled students). These teams travel all over Georgia and the Southeast
for exciting competition. Field Trips for all JROTC students are also taken
twice a year to various military bases to observe training and experience
the activities at these active military locations. Past school-sponsored
JROTC trips have included Parris Island, SC, Kings Bay Submarine Base, GA,
Warner Robins Air Force Base, GA, Shaw Air Force Base,SC, Fort Jackson, SC
and Fort Gordon, GA. JROTC students are required to participate in the
annual Military Ball (a fun-filled social event similar to a junior-senior
prom), local parades and service learning projects throughout the local
community.
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Does it cost much to be in JROTC?
Not at all. The JROTC uniform items and textbooks are provided free on a
loan basis and all competition, field trips and other JROTC activities
are free or minimal cost (supported by donations and fund raisers). JROTC
T-shirts are $10.00 and the hoodies are $21.00 this year. Either is required
for most of our field trips.
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Do I have to wear that Army uniform at Lakeside?
Yes , about 9-10 times a semester. Proper wear and care of the uniform is
part of learning "responsibility" and "attention to detail" and accounts for
25% of the JROTC grade. The uniform is worn on most Wednesdays but
occasionally cadets are given the option to wear the Lakeside JROTC t-
shirt/hoodie. Uniform wear is normally not required on the Wednesday's
during "Spirit Week" each semester. Students that are members of a JROTC
team are issued the "camouflage" BDU uniform which may be worn on some
uniform days.
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What advantage does taking JROTC have if one does go into the Military?
It can mean more money and prestige (rank) for those that enlist in any of
the military services. A student that takes 2 or more years of high school
JROTC can become and receive the pay of a Private First Class (instead of a
Private) immediately after completing Basic Training. Additionally, the
experiences learned in JROTC will normally make a future Basic Training
"experience" easier and give a trainee that has had JROTC an advantage over
one who has not. This could result in increased opportunity for leadership
positions, promotions, favorable personnel actions, etc. A JROTC student
that
goes on to a college or a university and enrolls in Senior ROTC will
typically
have an advantage in receiving ROTC scholarships.
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Does a student have to be a Freshman to start out in a JROTC course?
No, many students at Lakeside enroll in their first JROTC course during
their sophomore, junior or senior year.
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Will a job or other commitment after school keep me from being in JROTC?
Not at all. The after-school JROTC extracurricular activities and teams are
completely optional. A student can be successful in a JROTC course by only
participating during the class taken during normal school hours. Of course,
those students that do participate in other JROTC activities typically get
more practice in teamwork, leadership and confidence building skills that
usually result in getting more out of the total JROTC experience.
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Will I get academic credit for taking a JROTC course?
Of course. JROTC is one of the many electives that can be taken by a student
at Lakeside. As such, they receive the same academic credit as any other
elective course at the school. Effective SY 2003-2004, students taking
JROTC beginning in their freshman year are exempt from taking both a
physical education (PE) and health for taking (3) years of JROTC.
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Are the JROTC instructors active military or regular teachers?
All JROTC instructors are retired, after 20 or more years of honorable
service in the military. These personnel have been through a selection
process and certified to teach JROTC by the government and are recognized as
certified teachers (for JROTC) by most all states to include Georgia. They
have all been selected , hired and paid by their local school systems as are
any other teacher at the school. Part of their pay, however, is provided to
the school system by the military. Most all JROTC instructors have a 4-year
degree and many have advanced civilian education degrees earned at a college
or university.
