Relocation of the JROTC provides exciting opportunities

By Steve Romero-Tellez

The HC JROTC has been an active part of HC since 1997. Since then, the program has been in the upstairs yellow hallway in rooms 104 and 105. With (Ret.) LTC. Robert Mason and (Ret.) SFC. Brian Hunt in charge of the program and cadet enrollment increasing, were needed new rooms for their equipment and cadets. 

“When I first came here for about six years, our enrollment was 135 students,” HC JROTC Senior Army Instructor LTC. Mason said, “and over the course of those six years we’ve almost increased our enrollment about 80%-90%.” 

From 1997, the class has increased from being just 30 cadets in the program from the first picture of the program to about 200 cadets today.

“Last year we were about 216 students, now we are up about 190. The enrollment just grew, and we outgrew the space,” LTC. Mason said. “We needed a new space to effectively handle operations and the program.” 

Now the new rooms for JROTC are in the downstairs yellow hallway in rooms 3 and 4. And the former JROTC rooms now belong to the yoga class and health class. The Cadet Battalion Staff have issued the news to the Henry Clay JROTC Instagram page asking for help to move the rooms toward the end of the summer.

“Over the course of the summer we’ve communicated with Mr. Miller (former associate principal), and he let us know that toward the end of the summer would be a great time to move the room,” LTC. Mason said. “I then contacted the Cadet Battalion Commander Henry Arnold and he got some students together and moved everything from upstairs to downstairs, and to make it somewhat operational.”

LTC. Mason’s new room is larger and has more space. As soon as you walk in the room, the desk for Mason is to the left, computers against the wall. With two extra rooms which are named the “Supply Closet” maintained by the Cadet Battalion S-4, and the “Arms Room” maintained by the Cadet Battalion S-2.  

For SFC. Hunt’s room, he had to reduce the size of his classroom from being a big class with cabinets and trophies against the walls to a normal sized classroom. Cadets have visited the new rooms during the move and are excited for the new space and also some more work.