NJROTC team wins San Diego Mayor’s Cyber Cup

Ramona High School’s Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps Cyber Warfare team walked away with the San Diego Mayor’s Cyber Cup and $3,000 on Saturday.

The five-member team of Wesley Richardson, Sean Dennis, Erik Hietala, Jacob Underwood and Rye Casson faced a challenging cyber contest that included JROTC units and civilian teams from throughout San Diego County, the district reported.

In addition to the $3,000 first place prize for their Ramona High unit, the teens are invited to participate for free in a cyber warfare camp this summer.

The National Defense Industrial Association sponsors the San Diego Mayor’s Cyber Cup, an annual cyber defense competition, as one of its science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) outreach activities.

Among competition goals are to encourage students to learn more about information assurance and computer security and to consider it as a career. The competition also provides high school students an educational venue to apply the theories and practical skills they are learning.

Teaching the Ramona NJROTC unit are retired Navy Lt. Cmdr. Mike Ernst and retired Navy Chief Bob Richardson, both Ramona residents.

The cyber warfare team is one of many opportunities students receive in the Ramona NJROTC program, Ernst and Richardson said at a recent school board meeting.

Rather than to recruit students into the military, the program’s primary goal is to create solid citizens, Ernst said.

“Community service is what we really want the kids to get when they leave the program,” he said.

Ramona High Principal Chris King commented on the day-to-day impact NJROTC students have on campus, “the sense of service and the impacts on the culture of the school.”

“We just couldn’t exist as a school the way we do without them,” King said.

Participating in the program has its advantages for those planning to enter the military. Those who complete at least three years in the high school program enter the Navy as an E-3 and receive about $500 a month more in pay, said Ernst. If they go into another branch of the military, they enter as an E-2 and also receive a higher salary, he added.

Because Ramona’s unit is a Distinguished Unit, Ernst can nominate three seniors for each service academy every year.

“We have advantages where we can help these kids get into these programs if they desire it,” he said, noting that other ROTC scholarships are available.

Students participate in a leadership seminar, leadership academy, formal ceremonies, annual Salute to the Military, orienteering contests, and athletic and drill meets. Their community service ranges from color guards and helping at wounded warrior events to volunteering at the annual veterans’ stand-down in Balboa Park and caring for homeless veterans.

Because of the unit’s reputation, it receives frequent calls to participate in events on the USS Midway.

“The kids are serving someone other than themselves,” said Ernst.

During spring break this week, unit members are at Lake Mead, where Ernst said they are learning to operate, anchor and navigate boats.

“They fix meals ... keep track of everything,” he said. “We also go to Hoover Dam. It’s a good trip. The kids learn a lot.”

Their military ball will be on June 6.