It is 6 A.M. on a beautiful sunny morning with the sun rising and the birds singing. Although most students are still sleeping away, there is a small group of students awake and waiting at Perry High. They wake up even before the average zero hour student, wait until a bus arrives to pick them up, and drives them over to Basha High School. These students are the JROTC kids.

JROTC, the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, is an Air Force program that has a mission to “develop citizens of character dedicated to serving their nation and community”. Students are trained to become high school cadets with high morals in categories such as citizenship, responsibility, self-discipline and more. They also go through air and space programs such as the two held currently at Basha High School: The “Journey Into Aviation AS 100” and “Aerospace Science of Flight AS 210.”

“It’s about the history of the military and [it teaches]  just how to act right in society,” Three year JROTC member Jon Allen states.

Throughout the week, students participate in different activities such as going to classes, having uniform inspections, and  physical training days involving exercise. The activities bring students together as a whole, preparing them for future interests in the military.

“We learn all the ranks so we’re not going in blind. We learn how to react with officers just like normal military living and they somewhat prepare us physically,” Allen says.

JROTC is not just a class, it is a program that brings students together as a brotherhood.

“It’s a great class. It’s like a brotherhood because we are really close together. We protect each other and look out for each other,” Allen states.  “no matter what we always have a friend.”

Three year JROTC member Christian Lefler agrees, “We’re always looking out for each other; if something comes up with a cadet, a lot of the senior staff gets together and helps them out.”

Unlike other zero hours, JROTC begins at 6:15 and students must be bused over to Basha.

“The reason [our students go to Basha] is [that] you need a hundred students to have a program. Neither of us have a hundred.” Principal Dan Serrano says.

The JROTC program stands as a respective program that not only prepares cadets, but brings students together. Although it may be early in the morning, these students choose to prepare for the military and come closer as a team.