JrROTC unit forms drill team

Maricopa High School Air Force Junior ROTC instructor Lt. Col. Allen Kirksey announced the formation of a drill team comprised of the program’s most dedicated and disciplined cadets.

“A couple of weeks ago we went to observe JROTC programs perform at the West-Mitchell Drill Meet in Phoenix, and our cadets had a blast!” he said.

The annual West-Mitchell Meet included more than 400 junior ROTC cadets from 20 high schools competing in eight different drill categories. The competitions included inspection, armed and unarmed regulation, color guard, and armed and unarmed exhibition drills. The cadets’ overall appearance and bearing were closely inspected. Judges also questioned cadets on their knowledge of military history and ranks. The events in the drill competition involved precision and regulated movements.

Teams were judged on everything from uniformity, cadence, hand positioning, commanding, sequence, intervals and discipline. Team members could lose points for hair and uniform violations and subtle shifts while standing at attention. Teams are judged from the moment the unit leader reports in until he or she reports out. Judges ordinarily record cadence and timing sequence violations.

“[The cadets] determined right then and there on that rainy and dreary day that they wanted to put a team together to compete as soon as possible,” Kirksey said.

The drill team has been practicing for the past week, and had their first performance at Desert Winds Middle School on Feb. 28.

“As we go forward, I would expect us to be competing quite a bit next year,” Kirksey said.

For more information about the AFJROTC program at Maricopa High School 520-568-5100 or visit www.MaricopaUSD.org.