JROTC competition drill to be held Saturday

The Jenkins County High School (JCHS) Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) begins competitive drill at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, on the Jenkins County High football field. This is scheduled to be an eight-school drill meet with up to 20 separate events scheduled for competition.

JCHS has been assigned as the coordinating unit for the newly organized Area 9 for Army JROTC schools in the state of Georgia. Schools in the competition area include: Emanuel County Institute, Portal, Statesboro, South East Bulloch, Swainsboro, Bryan County, Metter and Jenkins County.The Academy of Richmond County has also requested to participate in the upcoming Drill Meet.

Drill competition is broken down into 20 different categories, each with a Region Championship and State Championship opportunity. In total there are twenty 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners at both region and state. Unlike football, basketball or any other sport under Georgia High School Athletic Association rules, JROTC is not organized according to school enrollment, i.e., Jenkins County A; Swainsboro AA; Statesboro AAAA. In JROTC competition, Raiders or Drill, all schools participate against each other regardless of the size of the school. Just to give an example, this year's Male Division Raider National Champion had 600 students in their JROTC class versus Portal High School, which has approximately 40 students in JROTC. Cedar Shoals High School in Athens has 350 cadets in their JROTC Program versus 87 at Jenkins County, yet all compete against each other as if equal.

Events that are available for trophies and state qualification are: Unarmed Knockout, Armed Knockout, Individual Armed Exhibition-Female, Dual Armed Exhibition- Female, Individual Armed Exhibition- Male, Dual Armed Exhibition- Male or Male and Female Mixed, Color Guard-Female, Color Guard-Male or Male and Female Mixed, Squad Unarmed Regulation Drill-Female, Squad Armed Regulation Drill- Female, Squad Armed Exhibition Drill-Female, Squad Unarmed Regulation Drill-Male or Male and Female Mixed, Squad Armed Regulation Drill-Male or Male and Female Mixed, Squad Armed Exhibition Drill- Male or Male and Female Mixed, Platoon Unarmed Regulation Drill-Female, Platoon Armed Regulation Drill-Female, Platoon Armed Exhibition Drill-Female, Platoon Unarmed Regulation Drill-Male or Male and Female Mixed, Platoon Armed Regulation Drill-Male or Male and Female Mixed and Platoon Armed Exhibition Drill- Male or Male and Female Mixed.

This year's schedule for the Jenkins County JROTC Drill Team and Color Guard competition is: Jan 26 at home; Feb 2, Swainsboro; Feb. 9, Statesboro; Feb 16, Metter; Feb 23, open; March 1, Bryan County (Pembroke); March 8, South East Bulloch (Brooklet) Region 9 Championship; Mach 15: Region 9 Championship rain date; March 22:, State Championship (Ft. Gordon, Augusta); March 29, All Army East Region Championship (Macon Metroplex,Macon); and May 2, National High School Drill Team Championships (Daytona Beach, Fla.).

There are no charges for admission to any drill meets in Georgia including Region, State and All Army Championship Meets. Please come and support the War Eagles Saturday, Jan. 26, at the Jenkins County High School Stadium.