AFJROTC Students Report on Summer Leadership Program

Nate Donoghue, Special to The Raider Review

This report was compiled by Nate Donoghue, who is a member of the AFJROTC. 

Twenty Four (24) Eleanor Roosevelt High School (MD-901) Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) cadets attended the annual summer Cadet Officer Leadership Program (COLP) June 21-26. Over 350 Junior ROTC cadets, and 30 instructors from JROTC units throughout Prince Georges County attended the Leadership Program, held at Camp W.S. Schmidt, Maryland. Roosevelt High Senior Aerospace Science Instructor, Colonel (retired) George W. Ryan, and Aerospace Science Instructor, Chief Master Sergeant (retired) Johnny C. Hollis III, also attended the week long program.

COLP is an intense week of training to include physical fitness training, room inspections, uniform inspections, academics, drill, parade preparation, and team sports. The cadets also were taught a course in military survival techniques, orienteering, and had to complete both an obstacle and low ropes course. The cadets’ days started at 6:00 A.M. with reveille and continued with a myriad of activities until around 10:00 ending with lights out. The cadets ate three hardy meals each day and were regularly encouraged to drink plenty of water to keep them well hydrated so they could withstand the heat and replenish the fluids lost as a result of the heat and high level of activity.

The following MD-901 cadets from Eleanor Roosevelt went over and above at this year’s 2016 COLP, clearly demonstrating the Air Force core value “Excellence In All We Do!!!”

Distinguished Graduates=Top 10% of all COLP Graduates:

C/2Lt Brennen Biggs/November Flight (Brennen also was THE #1 graduate at COLP!)

C/2Lt Julia Sharapi/Bravo Flight

C/2Lt Aaron Williams/Delta Flight

C/2Lt Kayla Miller/Oscar Flight

C/2Lt Mekail Durrani/Papa Flight

C/2Lt Priya Patel/Papa Flight

Best In Flight:

C/2Lt Julia Sharapi/Bravo Flight

C/2Lt Veronica Simpson/Charlie Flight

C/2Lt Nicole Barclay/Mike Flight

C/2Lt Brennen Biggs/November Flight

Best in Speech:

C/2Lt Julia Sharapi/Bravo Flight

C/2Lt Veronica Simpson/Charlie Flight

C/2Lt Aaron Williams/Delta Flight

C/2Lt Brennen Biggs/November Flight

Best in Drill:

C/2Lt Julia Sharapi/Bravo Flight

C/2Lt Veronica Simpson/Charlie Flight

Most Improved Cadet

C/2Lt Kevin Valle

2016 ERHS (MD-901) COLP Graduates & Training Instructors

**Denotes Training Instructor

Frederick Adeoye**                                                                               Priya Patel

Nicole Barclay                                                                                      Julian Pitts

Brennen Biggs                                                                                      Jemiah Policarpio**

Marciona Connelley**                                                                          Jonathan Puhindei**

Kayla Cox**                                                                                           T’Amani Ramseur**

Abraham Durrani                                                                                   Olaides Reyes

Mekail Durrani                                                                                     Julia Sharapi

Chelsea Flores                                                                                        Veronica Simpson

Kayla Miller                                                                                           Kevin Valle

Bolaji Odupitan**                                                                                Aaron Williams

Babatope Olupitan**                                                                          Thomas-Willaims-Lucas**

Austin Onwuemenyi**                                                                        Samuel Zannou

The concept of JROTC leadership programs is team building that grows into teamwork and is also complemented with an element of competition in a physically and mentally stressful environment. Completion of COLP results in promotion to Cadet Second Lieutenant at each cadets home unit. Graduates are expected to go back to their home units and lead by example based on their COLP experiences.

Several of the MD-901 cadets who attended this past summer are looking forward to returning next year as Cadet Training Instructors (TIs). As a TI, cadets who have previously completed/graduated from COLP become camp leaders and mentors for the new basic/first year cadets attending the next year.

Finally, JROTC Instructors are at the camps to advise the cadets, oversee the entire operation of the camp and to be available to deal with any issues that may arise with their home unit cadets.