JROTC celebrates the successes of cadets during ceremony

On April 28, 2023, the Instructors, Cadets, families, and friends of the White County High School JROTC gathered at the Sparta American Legion Post 99 “Liberty Hall” and celebrated another successful year during the JROTC’s Dining Out and formal awards ceremony.

 In the military, a Dining Out is a formal celebration of the unit’s accomplishments over a given period of time. Naturally, the JROTC’s period of service correlates to the school year. As a part of the formalities attendees participate in several traditions to include a toasting ceremony in which designated Cadets “propose a toast” to identified entities to include “JROTC,” “the parents,” “White County High School,” “the Seniors graduating this year,” and of course the “Warrior Battalion.”

The toasting ceremony was concluded by giving a silent toast to the Prisoners of War (POWs) and Missing in Action (MIA) represented by the POW/MIA table located at the front of Liberty Hall. Cadet Eli Stewart, serving as the “Grog Master,” then requested selected Cadets to add various ingredients to a gnarly liquid concoction known as “the grog.” Each ingredient added has a meaning and represents something the corresponds to the Warrior Battalion. Examples of ingredients include cranberry juice and oat milk dyed with coffee to represent the maroon and grey of WCHS’s school colors, and lemon-lime Gatorade and black coffee representing the Army’s colors of black and yellow. Other ingredients are born out of tradition. These ingredients include chocolate sauce representing mud from the Warrior Battalion’s participation in its first Raider competition “which was very, very muddy,” a packet of Taco Bell, the JROTC Cadet’s favorite post-competition restaurant, a “bloody sock” pulled from a combat boot representing Cadet’s participation in several physically demanding events to include the 13.1 Mountain Man Memorial March. The Senior Army Instructor, LTC Aaron Johnson, added his own special ingredient by wringing out a “sweaty”, vinegar soaked t-shirt representing “one of the hardest working JROTC programs in Cadet Command.” Dinner was provided by Sparta’s local Jack’s Top Bar-B-Que and included hamburger steak or some of the best fish in Tennessee.

Following dinner, LTC Johnson and the Assistant Army Instructor SFC Jason Moore, recognized several of the Warrior Battalion’s outstanding Cadets with individual awards. While the following is not an all-inclusive list, the awards include the Senior Army Instructor’s Medal awarded to Cadets Morgaine Boyd (first-year Cadet), Truman Wright (second-year Cadet), Seairra Heady (third-year Cadet), and Trevor Criswell (fourth-year Cadet) as these Cadets were identified by LTC Johnson as having displayed the highest degree of leadership for his or her respective JROTC level. Presented by SFC Moore, the Non-Commissioned Officer Association Medal was awarded to Cadet First Sergeant Casey Geer for his performance as the most outstanding Cadet NCO in the WCHS JROTC program unit during the past school year and epitomizing the ideal found in the first line of the NCO Creed, “No One is more Professional Than I.” Presented by the principal of White County High School, Greg Wilson, the “Principal’s Recognition Medal” was awarded to Cadet Joseph Redmon.  Finally, meeting the academic requirements, and “having demonstrated qualities of discipline and dedication to duty,” Superior Cadet Medals were awarded to Cadets Morgaine Boyd (first-year Cadet), Jacob Stegall (second-year Cadet), McKenzie Tuck (third-year Cadet), and Trevor Criswell (fourth-year Cadet). Medals for recognition were also awarded and from various organizations to include the American Legion, National Society United States Daughters of 1812, National Society Daughters of the Union, Daughters of the American Revolution Medal, Sons of the American Revolution, United Daughters of the Confederacy, the Military Officers Association, American Veterans (AMVETS), Sons of Union Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, and the respective 82nd Airborne and 101st Airborne Associations. Additionally, Charlie Company, led by Cadet Captain Seairra Heady and First Sergeant Casey Geer, was identified as the “Best Company” for the Spring 2023 semester and awarded a streamer to be hung on their respective company’s guidon Additionally, every Cadet in Charlie Company will be awarded the “Best Company” ribbon to wear on their uniform. Seniors who participated in JROTC for all four years of high school were recognized with their JROTC stole that can be worn during graduation. These seniors include Miranda Combs, Trevor Criswell, Julianna Hale-Carter, Dariq Johnson, Camron Menard, Cody Murdock, Eli Stewart, Ian Suchy, and Gabriel Wallace. Finally, SFC Moore revealed the official patch and crest of the White County High School JROTC “Warrior Battalion” which was approved by The Institute of Heraldry on April 21, 2023. Due to the timing of the approval of the final design patches could not be made in time for the Dining Out; however, the JROTC Instructors felt it was still appropriate to recognize the occasion and awarded the Warrior Battalion Commander, Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Camron Menard, with a wooden – laser engraved replica of the battalion’s new patch.

In preparation for the 2023-2024 school year, LTC Johnson identified the new Cadet chain of command for next year. Company Commanders identified are Kaden Kimmins, Zachary Isabell, and Jayden Keith. First Sergeants identified are Ashton Parks, Christopher Langley, and Elijah Price. Key members of the Warrior Battalion Staff include: Era McDaniel (S1 – Adjutant), James Frady (S2/S8 – Safety / Resource Management), Truman Wright (S3 – Operations), Casey Geer (S3 Sergeant Major), Gage Smith (Logistics – S4), Jacob Stegall (Public Affairs), and Seairra Heady (Battalion Executive Officer). Cadets Joseph Redmon and McKenzie Tuck were identified as the new Battalion Command Sergeant Major and Battalion Commander, respectively. Prior to the respective Change of Responsibility between the outgoing and incoming Command Sergeants Major, and Change of Command between the outgoing and incoming Battalion Commanders, Cadets Redmon and Tuck were properly promoted to the rank indicative of their new positions.

LTC Johnson closed the Dining Out by highlighting several of the accomplishments Cadets achieved throughout the year. These accomplishments include, but are not limited to: presenting the National Colors 34 separate events to include a Tennessee Tech football game and Nashville Predators hockey game, raising $700.00 in donations for the Tunnel 2 Towers Foundation, collecting nearly 2,500 canned goods for two canned food drives, receiving a $500.00 grant from Swallows Insurance, and conducting the first Vietnam Veterans Appreciation Ceremony.

A special thanks goes to the American Legion for letting the JROTC use Liberty Hall, Jack’s Top Bar-B-Que for catering, and of course the parents of JROTC Cadets for allowing their sons and daughters participate in such an impactful organization.