JROTC is all in the family for Johnsons
Warren County’s JROTC program has been taking teens and molding them into productive citizens for years. This year, instructors will be focusing on a whole family of teens.
At the beginning of this school year, freshman Ben Johnson joined JROTC, becoming the fourth member of his family to enter the program.
The oldest sibling, but second to join, was Cadet 2nd Lt. Jared Johnson, 17, who joined his freshman year. He is currently a junior. Within the program, he is in Charlie Company and is on the drill team which emphasizes traditional marching techniques.
‘I thought it would be interesting to see how the military works,’ said Jared. ‘It’s a great program and it’s fun. We get to learn a lot and make a lot of friends.’
Joining six weeks before was WCHS junior and 1st Sgt. Alexandra Johnson, 16. She is currently a member of Bravo Company and is on the Raiders team, which focuses on physical training and endurance.
‘I entered to get away from them and ended up liking it,’ said Alexandra referring to her brothers and sisters, two of which joined after she did. ‘I like that it is all hands-on experience. You get to be a leader but also a follower.’
Her twin, Staff Sgt. Cassandra Johnson, 16, was the third to join in her sophomore year. Also a junior, she was born 30 minutes after her sister. Cassandra is in Charlie Company and is on the drill team.
‘I joined because I heard it was a lot of fun,’ said Cassandra. ‘It teaches me discipline. It has accomplished those goals.’
Ben, 14, the last of the four, is currently Private 1st Class in Alpha Company and is a Raider. He hopes to advance to 1st Sgt.
‘My other brother and sisters were joining so I heard it was fun because they kept on saying it was fun,’ said Ben whose sister, Alexandra, thinks he could be Battalion Commander if he wanted. ‘It was fun but I wanted to be in band. So, I do both.’
The program’s instructors are Col. Mitch Sartain and 1st Sgt. Tim Howard. The program’s mission statement: To motivate young people to be better citizens.