DC Trip Approved for April

Our trip to the DC area has been approved for April 2-6. We will leave Wade Hampton around 8:00 AM on Saturday the 2nd and return to Wade Hampton around 9:00 PM on the 6th. This will be a fast-paced trip that shows our cadets a variety of locations related to our military history curriculum. We will be staying at the Comfort Inn Landmark in Alexandria, Virginia. Our trip will include visits to: the Pentagon, the US Naval Academy, Gettysburg National Battleground, the National Archives, Arlington National Cemetery, all the war memorials, and more. For fun we hope to get them by the Hershey Chocolate Factory for a tour of a major manufacturing industry. OK - and some shopping at the end.

All cadets attending must bring in a letter signed by their parents and a $100 deposit no later than Monday, February 28th. We are working a final price, but it will not exceed a total of $250. The remainder will be due no later than March 11th. The cadets will have breakfast at the hotel's IHOP restaurant, and we are trying to work in some free meals. But each cadet should have enough food money for 8-10 meals. Extra for souvenirs/snacks is encouraged. Cadets may bring food with them on the bus. There will be a refrigerator in each room. The dress for the trip will be school clothes except for the Pentagon tour which will be in short-sleeve uniform with wind breaker. Cameras will be allowed everywhere on the trip but inside the Pentagon.

This will be my fifth trip to DC with ROTC cadets. Almost to a cadet they preferred this trip over Florida. I think that says it all. Stay tuned for more info on this great opportunity.

Military Ball Around the Corner

The 2011 Greenville JROTC Military Ball is set for Saturday, March 12th at the Marriott Hotel just off Pelham Road near Michelin. Six JROTC units will be represented: Berea, Blue Ridge, Carolina, Greenville, Southside, and Wade Hampton. Blue Ridge AFJROTC is planning the Ball. The ticket cost is $35 per cadet/guest. The ballroom doors will open at 7:00 PM, and the Ball will end at 11:00 PM. Parents need to be outside the hotel to pick up their cadets at 11:00 PM. We would appreciate it if parents do not come into the ballroom so we can finish passing out souvenirs without interference.

The dress for male cadets will be the service dress uniform (suit coat and tie) with medals if they have them. Male cadets will not wear tuxedo shirts or bow ties with the uniform. Male guests of female cadets must wear suit or coat and tie. Black tuxedos are also permitted for non-cadet males. No tennis shoes may be worn to the Ball. Female cadets may wear Sunday dress, cocktail dress, or ball gown. At least one strap must be visible on the dress. Dresses that are too revealing will not be permitted into the ballroom. We will also not tolerate vulgar dancing of any sort - either cadets or guests. Cadets or escorts who violate these policies will be escorted from the Ball.

At intermission, we will introduce seniors who are attending, and we will crown our king and queen as well as princes and princesses. This year we will have a true ball experience with heavy horsdeuvers (and two chocolate fountains). Keep checking the web site after the Ball for some great pictures. BTW, there will be a photographer taking pictures for interested cadets. The packages start at $22 and we have posted a price list for cadets attending. Cadets will need to pay before pictures are taken, and pictures are normally returned within three weeks. But this is between the cadet and the photographer. We do not get any revenue in ROTC nor are we involved in the process other than passing out the packages when they are returned.