I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving.  The holidays are upon us, and so is the drill season.  This e-mail is directed toward the new families in the crowd.  There is a ... culture to being a parent in support of NJROTC.  This is my 3rd year, and families like the Suttles, McMannis, Sosa, and others have been at it much longer.

Those of you who have kids participating in the drill, color guard, rifle, and Physical Fitness, this is your kids football, or whatever other sport you want to equate it to.  The have been getting up before school to be a part of a team.  A team that has consistently finished at the top of the conference, and an NJROTC program that is usually in the top percentage of all schools in the multistate area.

I use football as an analogy, as if a kid is on the football team, the stands are full, and there is tons of support.  In direct contridiction is the ROTC program.  Where the kids have time and again achieved what would be considered making "state" competition, they rarely are noticed on the same level.  There is a core of maybe a half dozen dedicated families that go to the drill meets and support the teams.  Go to just one meet, and I can guarantee you'll be hooked.  These kids are amazing in sooo many ways, it is hard to express.

So, the first meet is at Arlington on Dec 12, a Saturday.  It's close, so make the trek down the freeway to cheer your kids on. If you have questions or as want to carpool with somebody, please get in touch, either with me or Captain and Chief.

As an aside, it should also be noted that our Orienteering team is off to one of the best starts in recent history.  Parents, you can travel to see Orienteering events as well.  Some of us even walk a course for the fun of it ourselves.

So parents, take a look at the meet on the 12th. and lets cheer our kids on to victory.