Where I Stand — Mike O’Callaghan: Don’t cut Junior ROTC, a valuable educational course

Friday, March 21, 2003 | 3:23 a.m.

Mike O'Callaghan is the Las Vegas Sun executive editor.

Upon returning from the Middle East last week I was informed that the Clark County School District has put Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps on its "endangered" list. Somehow or another the school administrators have put the JROTC program on the same level as "student activities" along with athletics and clubs. I would suggest they take a look at this program and place it with other courses taught in school. It's not just another fun and outside activity.

JROTC graduates and college ROTC graduates offer something special to our society. One of the finest officers I served with in combat was Lt. Charles Haegele, an ROTC graduate from the University of Oregon. We lost him when wounded late in 1952. He came to us eager to learn and in short order he became a respected combat leader.

Somebody in the school administration should take a close look at the quality of youngsters participating in JROTC at 13 Clark County high schools. There are two Marine units, three Army units, four Navy units and four Air Force units in the school district. These young people participate in a credited course of instruction and not some extracurricular activity.

Leadership education is designed to "instill in high school students a value of citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment. It prepares high school students for responsible leadership roles while making them aware of their rights, responsibilities and privileges as American citizens. The program is a stimulus for promoting graduation from high school, and it provides instruction and rewarding opportunities that will benefit the student, community, and nation."

This is accomplished, according to the program of instruction, in collaboration with the school district. Up to four levels of leadership instruction are provided and "each level must total 180 academic hours or the same number of academic hours to meet the curriculum requirements for 1.0 credit in courses such as math or English. Host institutions are required to award credit, preferably core credit in an academic discipline, toward graduation for each year of the JROTC program."

The Clark County School District gets more bang for the dollar spent on this program than any other subject matter taught in its high schools. The military services pay one half of the salaries for the instructors. The district also bears no cost for books, transportation, classroom television projectors, uniforms and other program activities.

I have had the pleasure of watching the Marine JROTC at Basic High School for at least two decades. Basic's drill competition with other schools also gave me an opportunity to see the other JROTC units in the school district. They are all made up of impressive young men and women who are good examples for others to follow. Added to this are the invaluable skills they learn in the classroom.

Even thinking about doing away with JROTC programs shows a lack of knowledge about the values of the program, both in and out of the classroom. It's a great program that should be increased as our country faces challenges few of us have had to face in past years. No other students have the opportunity to learn about and meet the challenges so prevalent in today's world.