Ramona High’s NJROTC commander highlights achievements at annual cadet installation ceremony

Ramona High School’s Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) is ”off to a great start” for the 2015-16 year “and much more is to come,” said Senior Naval Science (NS) Instructor Cmdr. Brad Davis at the annual installation ceremony.

“Throughout this year our 132 cadets will compete in a variety of academic, drill, physical fitness, volunteer support, athletic and nautical competitions throughout Southern California,” Davis said.

Those cadets marched in unison into Bulldog Stadium Tuesday evening, Oct. 6, for the commissioning of their platoons. Parents were invited onto the field to pin their first-year sons or daughters for the rank of NS-1.

Highlighting events that already took place this school year, Davis noted that six recent Sail Academy graduates finished first place overall at the Poseidon Olympics held in Long Beach. At the Troy High School Athletic Meet in Fullerton, 45 Ramona cadets took fifth place overall out of 26 high schools, and earned a special distinction as the most spirited school. Also this school year, Ramona High’s varsity marksmanship team captained by Cadet Nichole Lewis finished second out of 18 teams at the first air rifle competition of the season, qualifying for Area 11 State championships. In addition, a team of eight Bulldogs achieved first place at the Neptune Olympics in Coronado.

Davis acknowledged four seniors, in their fourth year of the NJROTC program, who are responsible for cadet activities: Commanding Officer Kiana Carlstrom, Executive Officer Wesley Richardson, who sang the national anthem at the ceremony, Command Master Chief Jon Crawford and Operations Officer Collin King.

Also presiding at the event was Naval Science Instructor Chief Bob Richardson.

Doug Scholl, commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3783 in Ramona, was guest speaker, offering words of advice for the four platoons.

For the NS-1 platoon, Scholl said, “Your word is listening. This is the year your ears should be open more than your mouth. This is the year to build the fundamentals, lay the foundation so Bulldog Company can maintain its greatness for years to come.”

“Mentor” was the word he assigned to NS-2s. “Teach, don’t lecture. Show, be that example and role model, praise in public and correct in private,” he said.

For the NS-3s, “teamwork,” was the word Scholl gave them.

“You are the detachable links in the anchor chain,” he said.

“This is the time to pass on your job properly to those below you and learn the job above you,” he said.

Lastly, the word for the NS-4s was “focus.” Noting senior year is the year of distractions, Scholl said there will be highs and lows.

“You’ve been charting a path, relying on navigational aids, rules of the road, personal experience and sage advice; lose sight of that horizon, lose sight of those stars and you’ll soon find yourself off course,” he said.

The ceremony concluded with NS-4 cadets passing of the nation’s flag while Cadet Emma Hopperton read the poem “Old Glory.”

Ramona’s NJROTC has been recognized as an Area 11 Distinguished Unit for the past five years.