Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Amalia Olvera | CHAMBERSBURG, Pennsylvania (January 18, 2025) Sailors from Navy Supply Systems Command...... read more read more
Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) military personnel from Naval Support Activity Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania supported the U.S. Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC Area 3) Drill Qualifier on Jan.18 at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania high school. The team of eleven highly motivated NAVSUP professionals joined Sailors and Marines from Penn State NROTC, Navy Talent Acquisition Group Pittsburgh and various recruiting commands in central Pennsylvania to evaluate the four best NJROTC programs in the Mid-Atlantic region.
“It’s important to set an example of leadership in selfless service and put in our time to show these cadets that there is a future in military service,” said Cmdr. Kristen Vechinski, operations officer, NAVSUP Ammunition Logistics Center. “I’m here to lend my experience and give them advice from a fleet perspective, as well answer any questions they might have about a career in the military.”
The mid-Atlantic region (NJROTC Area 3) includes schools in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and southern New Jersey. NJROTC was established by law in 1964 and is a citizenship and leadership development program of the Naval Service Training Command. Programs in the mid-state include Harrisburg, East Pennsboro, West York, Elizabethtown and Chambersburg.
Overseeing the Chambersburg Area Senior High School (CASHS) NJROTC is retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Bruce Apgar. Reflecting the aims of the original 1964 law, Apgar considers his involvement with NJROTC to be a great way to help shape some of the future leaders of America.
“My biggest goal here is to make sure all these kids graduate from high school. So, just focusing on getting them to graduate and the ones wanting to go to college, get them on a college track,” shared Apgar. “I try to get them aligned with a scholarship or a service academy and the ones who will be going to careers, trying to help them connect with the right careers.”
Helping to coordinate competitions like the NJROTC Area 3 Drill Qualifier Specific Event is one of the ways Apgar achieves this; helping cadets fully realize their own goals and potential.
NJROTC Area 3 Drill Qualifier Specific Event is the qualifying meet for the NJROTC National Academic, Athletic and Drill Championship which is held in April at Naval Air Station Pensacola. To be eligible to compete in this competition, a school needs to be able to field a team in every event.
The 8-hour competition on Jan.18 involved nearly 200 NJROTC cadets from four schools in the Pennsylvania and Maryland region. Nearly 100 supporters were in attendance to cheer on the cadets as they competed in several events including uniformed personnel inspections, Armed and Unarmed Regulation Platoon Drill, Armed and Unarmed Exhibition Platoon Drill, an athletic competition consisting of a timed team shuttle run, cadence pushups, and cadence sit-ups, Regulation Color Guard and Individual Knockout. Out of the competing teams, including teams from Gaithersburg, Maryland; Paint Branch, Maryland; and Hagerstown, Maryland, Chambersburg NJROTC earned first-place ranking and a trip to Pensacola Florida to compete against the 22 best schools in the nation for the title of National Champion.
Supporting NJROTC and their excellence in competition, NAVSUP emphasizes its commitment to our community and to the futures of our youth within that community. In celebrating young talent, NAVSUP celebrates the hard work, teamwork, mental strength and moral grounding that are foundation to the Navy. In collaborating with the best of the best – as CASHS NJROTC proved themselves to be – NAVSUP continues to steer the future.
“This event is a fantastic opportunity not just to promote the Navy, but also to promote a career in logistics for the Supply Corps officer community so our community can have growth,” said Vechinski. It’s also a chance to explain to them what logistics is and how we are a critical part of the Navy structure as sustainment enablers.
Congratulations to our Drill Team Cadets!
NAVSUP is headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and employs a diverse, worldwide workforce of more than 25,000 military and civilian personnel. NAVSUP and the Navy Supply Corps conduct and enable supply chain, acquisition, operational logistics and Sailor & family care activities with our mission partners to generate readiness and sustain naval forces worldwide to prevent and decisively win wars.
Learn more at www.navsup.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/navsup, and https://twitter.com/navsup .
| Date Taken: | 01.30.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 01.30.2025 15:48 |
| Story ID: | 489842 |
| Location: | PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 13 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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