Photo By Max Lonzanida | YORKTOWN, Va. (November 21, 2024) Navy Career Counselor Chief Thelma King, Command...... read more read more
YORKTOWN, Va. (November 21, 2024) Sailors from Naval Weapons Station Yorktown travelled to nearby York High School on Thursday, November 21st to volunteer as inspectors during the school’s Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) Area Manager’s Inspection (AMI). This was the first major inspection for many of the high school cadets who stood smartly in formation on the high school’s gym floor. Additionally, this unique community relations event with York High School’s NJROTC unit made for many positive interactions between the installation’s Sailors and high school cadets.
Preparations for this culminating inspection started early that morning with a Schedule of Events brief given by the unit’s military advisor, retired U.S. Navy Senior Chief Harold Gibbs. Gibbs advised the installation’s Sailors on grading criteria and what general naval science questions to ask of the cadets. Sailors were also given a grading rubric which provided some guidelines regarding uniform and personnel inspections. Gibbs cautioned that this was the first taste of a military inspection for many of the high school cadets standing in ranks on the gym floor. Inspections commenced after the command was given by the unit’s ranking senior cadets standing smartly in uniform at the front of the formations of cadets.
An Area Military Manager’s is conducted annually, and NJROTC units across the country complete this semi-formal inspection. On the slate for this particular inspection included a visit from the NJROTC area manager, an impressive drill team demonstration, a pass and review and individual inspections conducted by the installation’s Sailors. The NJROTC unit at York High School is one of the oldest on the Virginia Peninsula. It serves students in grades 9-12 at York High School, Bruton High School, Grafton High School and the York River Academy. The curriculum, as overseen by the higher Naval Education and Training Command of which this NJROTC unit falls under, consists of classroom instruction throughout the year. It also includes community service activities, drill competitions, field meets, visits to naval activities and other military oriented training. Uniforms, training aids, travel allowance and a substantial portion of the instructor salaries are provided by the U.S. Navy as promulgated by OPNAV 5761.1.
Culinary Specialist First Class John Paul Pedero, assigned to the installation’s award-winning Scudder Hall Galley wasted no time with his inspections. He started with a ranking cadet standing at attention at the front of one of the formations. His first series of questions were associated with general knowledge of U.S. Navy leadership. Follow on questions were associated with general orders and the various enlisted and officer ranks of the U.S. Navy. Pedero noted that “I spent all four years of my high school doing this [NJROTC], so I know what these cadets are going through. I know its very stressful for them.” During follow on inspections, Pedero calmly asked cadets to take a breath, encouraged them to relax and slow down with their responses.
Chief Thelma King, NWS Yorktown’s Command Career Counselor had the distinct opportunity to inspect members of the unit’s color guard and ranking cadet leadership. Master-at-Arms Second Class Michael Zotoo and Information Systems Technician Second Class Brooke Rinehart, assigned to the installation’s Security and N6 departments respectively, took to inspecting and grading a rank of cadets with the same rubric and guidelines that were provided. The last set of uniform and personnel inspections were completed Master-at-Arms Second Class Gilbert Gonzalez and Master-at-Arms First Class Matthew Hollingsworth, both assigned to the installation’s Security Department. It was noted by both Gonzalez and Hollingsworth that this was the first real interaction with Sailors that many of the 9th and 10th grade cadets had; and in some instances, it proved to be quite an ordeal for the cadets.
The last rounds of inspections were completed by 0930. Shortly thereafter, the unit’s drill team took to the gym floor and executed an impressive drill demonstration. This was met with roaring rounds of applause by parents and the contingent of Sailors who watched from the bleachers. Awards were presented to nearly a dozen cadets who received a perfect score on their personnel inspections; all thanks in part to the meticulous and regimented inspections conducted by the contingent of NWS Yorktown Sailors. A pass and review of the nearly 200 cadets enrolled in the NJROTC program concluded the events for the morning. Gibbs, the NJROTC unit’s military science instructor, summarized this successful COMREL event. He noted that “I cannot emphasize the gratitude we have for Naval Weapons Station Yorktown and the Sailors who assisted us with this inspection. Huge Bravo Zulu to NCC [Thelma King] and CS1 [John Paul Pedero] who went above and beyond.” Lastly, parent Samantha Nawrocki summarized this successful community relations event, “as a parent with two student Cadets in the York NJROTC unit that participated in this inspection, thank you for your support!”
| Date Taken: | 11.25.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.25.2024 21:57 |
| Story ID: | 486143 |
| Location: | YORKTOWN , VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 15 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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