Program Overview

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The goal of the Air Force Junior ROTC program is to help high school students become better citizens and leaders by instilling a sense of responsibility, character, and self-discipline. The program promotes community service, education excellence, teamwork, fitness, and personal development for success. An underlying thread in ROTC is patriotism and pride in the institutions and values that make this country strong.

ROTC “PILLARS” Citizenship and leadership are the two major focuses in all we do. Our cadets are heavily into community service and beyond. They respond with open hearts and hard work when it comes to helping others. Leadership is reflected in every activity. The cadets learn the fundamentals of good “followership” first - then develop sound leadership principles that will help them succeed in any endeavor.


BRIEF HISTORY OF AFJROTC Army ROTC has been around since 1911, but all the military services committed to the program in 1964 with Public Law 88-647, the ROTC Vitalization Act. The law provided for the establishment of JROTC programs in all public and private high schools. The Air Force had reached its ceiling of 690 units until General Colin Powell, then Secretary of State, saw JROTC cadets cleaning up the streets after the Los Angeles riots. He liked the community service he saw and so did the Congress of the United States. Our legislators approved an Air Force expansion to 945 units by 2008. Today, there are nearly 900 high schools with Air Force Junior ROTC, and over 120,000 students are enrolled in the program.

THE INSTRUCTOR TEAM Since the AFJROTC program was established, the Air Force has actively recruited the most highly qualified officers and non- commissioned officers to serve as instructors in America’s high schools. Applicants are screened and scored according to academic, leadership, management, communicative, and professional skills. Most officer instructors have at least Masters degrees, and most non-commissioned officers have earned Bachelor or Associate degrees. The highest officer rank is Colonel, and the highest enlisted rank is Chief Master Sergeant. By contract, salaries must be comparable to what the instructors earned while on active duty, and the Air Force shares that expense. All instructors are retired but still perform in accordance with Air Force appearance standards, customs, and courtesies. Complete Air Force biographies for the Wade Hampton instructor team are located under “Staff Profiles”.

STUDENT ENROLLMENT Registration for the Air Force Junior ROTC program is open to freshmen through senior classes. During the first year, students receive physical education credit. Additional courses result in elective credit. Cadets may take ROTC all four years if they desire. After the freshman year, selected cadets may be allowed to double-block depending on curriculum availability.